


Destructive Attraction

by Hoshizuku



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Bottom Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Consensual Underage Sex, M/M, Older Man/Younger Man, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Squall Leonhart being Squall Leonhart, Student Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Teacher-Student Relationship, Top Cloud Strife, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-21 10:07:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20691740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hoshizuku/pseuds/Hoshizuku
Summary: “If we were caught . . . I could lose my job. I could go to prison. Do you understand?” It was a stupid question; of course Riku understood. Cloud could empathize with the teen though, experiencing himself the profound sense of discontentment as everything was finally laid bare. But simple attraction . . . could easily become so destructive.“Keyword,” Riku stated softly, “is ‘if.’”





	1. Chapter 1

**** **** "And this will be your classroom, Mr. Strife." Pale hands peaking out from a stoic black suit gestured beyond a door standing ajar, stained a deep mahogany and gleaming under fluorescent lighting. Grasping the silver, equally glossy handle, Cloud pulled the heavy door open to view his new sanctuary for the next eighteen weeks.

Placid blue eyes soaked in the new environment, although the mind behind them raced with excitement. His first teaching job, finally! If the private school's headmaster wasn't standing wickedly close and breathing on his ironed and pressed suit, fresh this morning from the dry cleaners, he might've spawned a quick, indulgent jig, taking the time to revel at the echo his shoes would make as the heels clicked against the floor. However, he restrained himself for the sake of professionalism, offering a polite smile to the headmaster and stepping away from his cold breath.

His eyes wandered over the polished mahogany floor and desk, wondering briefly if the headmaster, or whoever was in charge of the school design, had a fetish for dark wood as his feet carried him further into the room. The high, arched ceilings overhead drew his attention at once, the higher parts lined with skylight windows, allowing a plethora of daylight to pour into the room. He marveled at the stair-stepped seats spilling out across the majority of the classroom, the seats carpeted and noticeably lacking in something Cloud found rather . . . relevant.

"Um . . . There are no desks."

The headmaster chuckled to himself, as if over a private joke. "No, nothing of the sort. The students here complete all of their work using their personal computers. Laptops." He continued his little laugh, which Cloud found a bit annoying. However, he smiled in good nature at the headmaster and turned his attention to the white board adorning the entire wall behind the desk. Below it, there appeared to be no room for markers or erasers or anything like that.

"Um . . . " Cloud began again, pointing at the pearly white wall with uncertainty.

"Oh yes, the projector." The headmaster pointed up toward the ceiling, where what appeared to be a projecting device was mounted and aimed at the board. "Most schools have these things nowadays, but we've taken it to the next level. You'll use your computer to type notes and such, and it projects onto the board. You can also do lots of other nifty little things with it, which you'll soon discover."

Cloud nodded as if he understood, noticing the lack of a computer in the room. Although he knew the school must've had the funds to supply teachers with simple things like a computer, he also knew that the headmaster expected him to have his own, having graduated from a rather prestigious college and originating from one of the more . . . privileged . . . families of this city. In all honesty, he didn't know how he'd made it through college without one; his parents sure as hell weren't going to pay for it, and so he mooched off friends all four years. Now he was coming to regret it, making a mental note to call up one of these friends later until he could purchase his own laptop.

"Next, I'll show you the common's area on the third floor. It's one of my favorite places, and I believe the students rather like it as well." The headmaster had already turned to leave the room, describing the architecture style and design philosophy of the building as they made their way to the elevators.

Yes, elevators. Cloud's inner dancing spirit performed another prance around his head.

The two sleek, stainless steel elevators at the end of the hall were in place for teachers and disabled students only-all others were forced to take the stairs. And with six floors making up the school, Cloud's heart went out to them. He himself needed a detailed tour of the place, or perhaps several, before he would feel comfortable wandering about inside. The outside was a completely different story. Students here lived on campus in dorm rooms, organized by gender or alphabet, Cloud wasn't really sure. Not to mention the school had expanded since its original construction sixty years ago. Extra buildings were strewn throughout the premises as well. Cloud was simply glad a classroom had opened up inside so that he didn't need to maneuver throughout the entire grounds on a regular basis.

"We're very glad to have a replacement teacher so soon," the headmaster told him, the two of them standing in one of the carpeted and well-lit elevators as it made its descent to the third floor. "Miss Gainsborough passed away so suddenly . . . " He trailed off as if musing about her, continuing with what a shame her death was, how she would be sorely missed, etc. Cloud struggled to pay attention, imagining his classroom filled with students and himself at the head of the room delivering a well-prepared lecture.

Upon reaching the previously mentioned common area, Cloud stopped short of the threshold, taken aback.

The common area, doubling as a cafeteria and a study hall, stretched the entire width of the building, half of it covered in pale marble and the other half a spread of luxurious carpet. The size was undoubtedly to accommodate the massive student population of the school. But Cloud forgot the sheer enormity of the room due to the fact that his eyes were drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows making up one entire wall of the building, the side crowded with couches and chairs and shelves full of books. Beyond that window laid the most gorgeous view Cloud had ever laid eyes on. He knew the school sat upon a rather intimidating mountain, topping off the surrounding city with a lovely flourish. However, the window provided a first-class view to the snow-covered mountainside, resilient pine trees crowding together all the way down to the edge, draped in a delicate white blanket of snow. Part of the floor next to the window was missing, marked off with railing. When Cloud approached, he noticed he could look down to the bottom floor and see the lobby of the school. A newfound fear of heights kicked in, and Cloud backed away from the silver railing to gaze out at the scenery.

"It's . . . amazing," he murmured, gaping at the sight of untamed land stretching out as far as he could see. This appeared to be one of the few undomesticated sides of the mountain, where any number of wild creatures could be roaming about. And as this thought surfaced, Cloud's eyes caught sight of a small brown streak sprinting into the trees.

Answering his astounded statement, the headmaster came to stand next to him. "Yes, it is lovely. Especially around this time of year." He paused, giving Cloud a moment to drink it all in. "We must be going. I still haven't shown you the library, and it's getting a tad late."

"Where are the students?" Cloud quizzed, following the headmaster out of the common area and down another hallway. Although he enjoyed most libraries, he doubted it would hold much interest for him after witnessing the mountainside.

"In their dorms, naturally," he replied as if this were obvious, pressing the down button for the elevator once they reached the end of the hall. "The school year is about to begin, and everyone is getting settled into their rooms." The doors slid open before them, Cloud's mind buzzing with activity and excitement for the upcoming year.

He almost wanted to call his dad up and throw it in his face.  _ See, Dad? I didn't need your help. I've got an amazing job, and it's doing what I love. _ A contented smile plastered over his pale face, Cloud followed the headmaster into the library just to the left after they exited the elevator.

As he thought, it didn't quite interest him after viewing the astounding common area. Though books were his passion, the place held nothing he hadn't seen before, compared to the building housing books on his old college campus. Eight floors of books, peppered with plentiful nooks and crannies for reading or studying. His own personal heaven.

While the headmaster babbled on about the library, Cloud fantasized about the year ahead, about how such "privileged" students would behave, or what teaching in general would feel like. His imagination threatened to overflow already, and it was only his first day.

Although most teachers lived in their own extravagant houses in the surrounding area, Cloud had applied for one of the instructor dorms, knowing he wouldn't yet be able to buy his own luxury home. But considering the immensely sophisticated homes dotting the mountain on his drive up, his dream of owning a home didn't seem too far off. He just needed to get on his feet first–the last thing he wanted was to fall on his face before he'd even gotten started, just as his lovely parents had told him he would years ago.

Actually, they still called to tell him that every now and then.

"Mr. Strife?" the headmaster prodded, gently tapping Cloud's shoulder. 

_ Must’ve zoned out there for a second . . .  _ "Hm?"

"I believe that about covers everything you'll need to see inside. I would personally escort you to your dorm, but I'm afraid I'm running a bit late. You already have your key?" Cloud nodded, drawing it from his pocket and holding it up for the headmaster to see. "Very good. The room number is on the key. I'm sure you won't have trouble finding it. If you'll excuse me, I must be leaving."

Watching the back of the receding headmaster, Cloud couldn't suppress a content smile , knowing he should find his dorm before it got too dark out to see. With one final glance around at the bookshelves stained, unsurprisingly, in mahogany, Cloud left the library and turned toward the elevator to exit the building.

* * *

A calm darkness settled over campus, the residents of the student dorms forced to turn on artificial lighting as they went about unpacking and socializing with old friends. New roommates introduced themselves, new friendships were begun, and drama surfaced throughout the dorms, the sounds reverberating throughout the polished hallways and vast, open foyers. Yet as all this activity transpired outside his dorm room, Riku still buried himself in a book and tried to tune everything out.

For once in his life, he thanked his parents for their stuck-up, asshole nature, insisting he inhabit a single room so that he could have more privacy. He still had to share a bathroom with twenty-something other boys on his floor, but that he could deal with. After all, he always seemed to wake up at an ungodly hour in the morning when no sane human being would possibly consider stumbling out of bed and stealing the bathroom from him. No, he felt fine with that situation.

However, the paper-thin walls would drive him into an early grave.

Pressed into a corner of his bedroom, Riku's mind seethed with anger every time he attempted to return to his book and another interruption traipsed along, babbling about class schedules and girls and did you go to the end of summer festival downtown, because I didn't see you there and I looked forever . . . 

Rolling his eyes, Riku tossed his novel onto a nearby table and stormed out into the hallway, shoving past the boys conversing just outside his door and shooting them nasty glares before he disappeared down the staircase. Along the way, he passed several more clusters of students in various states of dress, most of them obviously disregarding the dress code as long as the headmaster wasn't around. Riku himself opted to keep his shirt on, thank you very much. Not that he possessed a bit of fat on his body, but he wouldn't be one to broadcast his pudgy stomach to the world if he had one.

Riku continued his anger-fueled journey across campus, unsure of where his restless feet would take him at this hour. The sun had just set beyond the horizon, a deep purple filling the sky overhead. His feet met with light snow, covering his designer boots in a soft, white film. He could just picture his mother in his mind's eye, standing over him and nagging about the shape most of his clothes would be in by the time he returned home for summer break.

Stuck on that thought, he didn't notice the bewildered blonde stranger in his path until he collided with him in a painful crash. The force of the impact sent the two toppling over each other to the ground, an apology spilling from Riku's mouth just as the stranger uttered his own.

Pulling himself to his feet, the stranger offered his hand to help Riku up. However, he refused, standing of his own power and twisting around to depart before the situation could get any more awkward.

"Hey!" the stranger called after him, and he stopped in his tracks, the cold of the snow seeping in through his shoes. "What's your name, kid?"

Cringing at the juvenile nickname, he glanced over his shoulder at the man. "Riku. Who're you?" Not that he cared, but he thought it might be polite to ask.

"Cl-um, Mr. Strife, I guess. I'm the new English literature teacher for the junior class."

_ English lit? _ Riku studied the man, observing his creamy white skin and angelic blonde hair, poking out of his head in insubordinate spikes. Although Riku himself wouldn't settle for a hairstyle so utterly chaotic, on Mr. Strife he found it rather becoming. Cute, almost. And English lit was on his schedule, too.  _ Maybe this year will be a bit more interesting. _

"I'm lost," Mr. Strife continued, brandishing a sliver room key in one hand. "Do you know where the instructor dorms are?"

Halting his inner musings, Riku pointed, offering a warm smile for his new teacher. Although he felt it grow a bit devious as Mr. Strife thanked him and retreated in that direction. Clad in a standard black suit, he sported a rather nice ass, which couldn't help but show itself behind the clinging, dark fabric. If it hadn't before, Riku's smile took on a crafty edge, his bad mood having dissipated. He returned to his dorm room, looking forward to his first day of classes tomorrow.

A few well-timed glances during English lit couldn't hurt, after all.

* * *

The halls echoed with the sounds of student life, voices carrying into his classroom as everyone struggled to gather their things and find their next class before the bell. His first day dawned with a bright start, after the debacle of colliding into a student and finding his dorm. Seated behind his new desk, Cloud kicked back in a cushioned office chair, loving the sound of its wheels gliding over the floor as his students began to file into the room. 

As he lacked the proper hardware, Cloud knew the projector wouldn't be operational for a while, instead settling to speak with his students without fancy technology. It seemed much less complicated. So when the late bell rang for first period and his room had filled with students, he summoned his most professional smile and launched bravely into his first speech as a teacher.

"Okay, good morning, everyone. As you can see, I'm the replacement English lit teacher for Miss Gainsborough. Of course, I'm obviously nothing like her, so this class will be very different from how it used to be." His words drew a few chuckles from some of the students, and he strengthened his smile. "I've never used this kind of projector before, so it may be some time before I finally understand how that works. Until then I suppose old-fashioned lecturing will have to do." Another few giggles from two girls in the front. _Hm. This isn't too hard._ Cloud's mind briefly drifted off topic to the last class he taught, or rather helped teach as a student teacher. 

Those little fiends couldn't behave themselves for five seconds.

"My name is Mr. Strife," Cloud continued, gaining confidence. "I want to use this first day to get to know your names . . . " Assembling the students into a circle, Cloud initiated a trivial game which he could use to help remember little things about his students. He'd seen a teacher do it once before with first graders, but the concept seemed to apply to juniors, too.

"Does everyone know each other?" he questioned. 

Most of the students shook their heads; only a few girls here and there had paired off. It appeared the sheer size of the student population was enough to keep things mixed up in the classes. Although private and rather expensive, it sat in the heart of one of the largest cities in the country and therefore attracted many to its pristine halls. It didn't surprise Cloud in the slightest. 

"All right, everyone in the circle will say their name. Make sure you remember as many names as you can, all right?" Once everyone in the circle had announced their name, Cloud picked out a boy and handed him a ruler. "You stand in the middle. Now, I'll say my name, then the name of someone sitting in the circle. If you hear your name, you must repeat it and say someone else's name. You have until the stick bearer reaches you and taps you on the head. If you don't finish before he taps you, you're the new stick bearer. Everyone understand?"

Satisfied when most of the students nodded, Cloud cleared his throat and began the game, choosing the name of a shy-looking girl across from him. Though the game started with a bit of uneasiness and confusion, it soon turned into mass hysteria and laughter among the students. Cloud was certain everyone's name had been called once, including his own, and he felt almost positive that he now knew everyone. By the time the bell rang for second period, his students even seemed reluctant to leave.

"See you tomorrow!" he chirped as they poured into the hallway, joining the immense flood of students and disappearing from sight. Yes, he could get used to this teaching thing.

The infamous game continued in its success throughout the day, and Cloud found himself rather lonely and wandering around the school when lunch time arrived. He found one of his neighboring teachers and asked about the infamous project, and he received a detailed tutorial on its many uses. Cloud found himself marveling at the thought of all the things he could do with it, eager for the day when he could afford a new computer.

His next two classes flew by to his dismay, the digital numbers of his watch seeming to jump several hours every time he glanced at them. A growing feeling of disappointment filled his stomach by the time sixth period rolled around.

However, he brightened a bit when he noticed a familiar, silver-haired teenager enter the room.

"Riku, right?" He addressed the teen as soon as he entered, offering what he hoped was a professional smile.

Glancing up from a novel held between his fingers, Riku locked eyes with Cloud and returned the smile. "Yeah. Did you ever find your dorm?" he questioned, slipping a book mark between the paperback and shifting all his attention to Cloud.

"Mmhm. Thanks for the help. Oh, and sorry for running into you like that."

"No big deal. It was my fault anyway." Cloud noticed Riku's striking appearance, his intense aquamarine eyes and silvery-blue hair, currently pulled into a low pony tail. His bangs framed his pale face nicely, reflecting the natural light pouring in overhead. "So how was your first day?"

"Great!" Cloud replied a little too enthusiastically. "I think I'm gonna like it here." He regarded a few other students as they made their way in, motioning that they should have a seat on the floor instead of up in their usual seats. Growing accustomed to the raised eyebrow look, he simply smiled back cheerfully, returning to his conversation with Riku.

Curious, Riku flashed Cloud an odd expression, as if to question his motives for having people sit on the floor. Instead of answering, Cloud pointed to an empty spot nearby, joining his students as the late bell rang.

"All right everyone, I'm Mr. Strife. I'm replacing Miss Gainsborough as an English lit teacher," he began for the sixth time, noticing that as the day wore on, his students became a little more chatty and energetic than the class preceding them. And sixth period seemed no exception. "We're going to play a game so that I can learn your names . . . "

Cloud had already picked out who his first stick bearer would be, glancing periodically at Riku during his opening speech. The silver-haired teen would smile back at him each time, as if he suspected all along what Cloud was going to do. And in fact, he didn't appear surprised when Cloud handed him the ruler, his smile deepening at the light brush of fingertips between the two. As always, the game started slowly and picked up speed, this classes' occupants seeming to know each other better than the last five. Cloud didn't mind, though, seizing the chance to pick out friendships among his students. Things like this could be used later on when pairing students up for projects. However, he noticed that almost every time someone called Riku's name, he always called on Cloud for the stick bearer to chase after next. And it was during these times that Cloud would catch himself, realizing that he had been staring at the teen without realizing.

The final school bell echoed through the hallways, and the students rushed to gather their things, the ambient sounds of chatter and afternoon plans filling the room. Cloud himself stood to grab his coat and tie, which he had tossed off after second period when the sun's warm rays streamed in through the skylights. He hadn't brought much of anything to class that day except for a few informational documents he'd received from the headmaster.

He set to leafing through it at his desk as the voices of students faded out of his classroom. However, he noticed a gleam of silver and glanced up to meet a pair of haunting aquamarine eyes. "Hm? What is it?"

"You know, if you need any help finding your way around or something, I can help you out. Just ask."

Considering the proposition for a second, Cloud nodded. "Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that."

Riku gave a curt nod before following after his classmates into the hall, leaving Cloud with a strange, ominous feeling in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't shake, no matter how many minutes he sat staring at his desk in bewilderment.

Breaking him from his trance, the headmaster wandered into the room. "Mr. Strife! I just remembered when I was sending out announcements this morning that I neglected to mention something." He froze, eyeing the desk with a furrowed brow. "Where's your computer?"

"Um . . . " Cloud cast around his head for an excuse. "I left it in my room." 

Frowning deeply, the headmaster didn't acknowledge the remark, continuing with his earlier point. "Yes, well, there's a faculty and staff meeting downstairs in five minutes in the staff room. I'll see you down there, yes?" He turned and backtracked into the hallway, Cloud staring after him for a moment or so. And then it hit him.

_ Where the hell is the staff room?! _

Realizing he'd need Riku's services already, Cloud jumped out of his chair and walked quickly into the hallway, hoping Riku hadn't ventured off to some unknown location. To his relief, however, he spotted the teen not ten feet away, talking to a cinnamon-haired boy with familiar unruly spikes.

"Riku," Cloud called, treading across the hall and narrowly avoiding a couple excited students. "Could you tell me where the staff room is located?"

Cloud could've sworn he saw a devilish gleam flash in Riku's eyes as he tore away from his conversation with the other boy, turning to regard Cloud with a smirk. "It's hard to explain, but I can show you where it is. See you later, Sora." He waved to his best friend as he led the way down the hall. The younger teen waved back energetically.

Riku's path carried them to the end of the long hallway to the elevator, where he glanced at Cloud as if asking permission to use it himself.

"Oh, sure," Cloud said, a little desperate to get to the staff room before the meeting started. He mashed the button next to the silver doors, waiting what seemed like an eternity for them to open. Finally, they parted and allowed the two inside, Cloud's eyes switching back and forth from his watch to Riku, taking his place in the elevator not too far away.

"It's on the bottom floor," Riku began, eyeing Cloud's nervous glances with interest. "Back behind the front desk in the office . . . " He continued to describe its precise location, but Cloud didn't follow, losing him after the words "in the office." Truthfully, he didn't know where  _ that _ was either.

The elevator hit the bottom floor and Cloud dashed out, followed closely by Riku. Their hurried footsteps against the hard tile echoed throughout the large lobby-like ground floor, and it wasn't until Cloud found himself in the middle of the room did he remember he didn't know where he was going. He paused, finding Riku and giving him a pleading stare.

"This way," Riku said, motioning for Cloud to follow. The uneasy blonde trailed after him, knowing the place looked familiar but uncertain as to the office's exact location. Riku led him through a glass door, pointing off down the hall to the left. "I can't go any further than this, but you just need to go down that hall and take two lefts." As Riku lowered his hand, it brushed against Cloud, who didn't notice in his distress.

"Thanks, Riku!" he called, sprinting off down the hallway Riku had pointed toward. The young teen waved at Cloud's withdrawing form, smiling in his mischievous way and turning on his heel to exit the office.

_ I'm late I'm late I'm late I'm late . . .  _ Cloud chanted to himself until he reached the room in question, the door already closed and arousing a sense of dread in his stomach. He burst through the door, where it seemed every teacher in the building save for himself had made it there on time. He wanted to crawl under a rock as every pair of eyes focused on him.

"I . . . apologize. I got lost."  _ So much for a great first day. _

* * *

Aside from one oblivious blonde teacher, Riku felt rather satisfied with his first day of school. 

Not even the sight of Sora and Kairi snuggled up together in the hallway could ruin his good mood after sixth period, and so he offered his best friend a light smile as he passed the two instead of attempting to hide his usual scowl at their public displays of affection. No, they could fuck each other senseless in plain sight. If Cloud finally caught onto his advances, he'd be doing something of the sort not too far from now.

But there was always the fact that if anyone ever found out about it, Cloud wouldn't just lose his job . . . no, this entire situation was begging for trouble.

Yet Riku didn't care.

He'd never seen anyone like Cloud during his many escapades, despite the city's high population. Cloud looked to be in his mid twenties, about twenty-four or so, which meant an eight-year age difference separated them. This only piqued Riku's interest more, as he'd never been with a man that much older than him. He felt restless now, lying in his bed and staring at the crisp white ceilings while pondering his next move.

_ Maybe I just need to get out more. _

Riku tried not to think too much about how Cloud reminded Riku of his own best friend, especially with their similar hairstyles. Sora's cinnamon hair appeared more boyish, wild and young. Cloud's, however . . . Riku couldn't describe it; he just loved the controlled yet haphazard way his spiky locks defied gravity by jutting out at odd angles, accentuating his face and blue eyes. And speaking of his eyes . . . they glowed like fire. Like the obvious drive beneath Cloud's exterior. Riku could see his ambition easily. Although he wondered what could drive someone like him to become a high school teacher.

The thought of Cloud's staff meeting crossed his mind; he wondered if he'd made it in time. He was nervous when Riku last left him, checking his watch every five seconds and running out into the lobby like he had. If there was anything Riku liked to see more than a nervous Cloud, it was a Cloud sprinting out of an elevator in an anxious frenzy.  _ God, those thighs. _

Unconsciously licking his lips, Riku twisted onto his side and examined the bland white wall, images of Cloud's fair, white skin filling the open space, exposed in the dark of a hall closet, his muscles writhing beneath Riku's touch, delicious little moans and whimpers tumbling from his mouth. 

Deciding it was time for some fresh air before his thoughts overwhelmed him, Riku hopped out of bed in one smooth motion, grabbing his boots by the door.

* * *

Thankfully, the next few days didn't hold another staff meeting or something equally stressful. That first one had lasted long enough that he was sure another session wouldn't be warranted for at least a month, dragging on for three hours after he showed up late. He tried to sit up straight and appear interested like the other teachers. However, the meeting mostly covered general rules and guidelines for the school, things everyone in the room should already know. A few things were debated, someone possessing the audacity to ask why a new teacher received one of the rooms on the top floor with skylights. Cloud found himself grinning sheepishly, arms folded over his chest and eyes directed toward the floor. The headmaster replied with pure logic, pointing out that this  _ was _ the room Miss Gainsborough had occupied, and that it only made sense for Cloud to take her room so as not to cause any unnecessary confusion among the students. Aforementioned someone quickly shut his mouth and assumed a similar position to Cloud's, but with a deep frown instead.

The important thing was that Cloud had poured over every detail of these guidelines after accepting the job, and he knew them by heart without the headmaster's repetitive speeches. He'd had to stifle a yawn far too often, mentally pleading for it to end or for the headmaster to spontaneously combust.

By the end of the week, though, he felt well acquainted with his students and comfortable at his first job. Everything seemed to be going just fine, especially with Riku's help along the way. Cloud wondered how the boy put up with him, calling on him every other hour on directions or instructions or where the hell was the teacher's lounge and why did they need one.  _ Honestly, just go home to your three hundred thousand dollar half-mansions and flit around the place in a fluffy bathrobe for thirty minutes. Geez. _

To say the least, Cloud had numerous questions he was just dying to ask the headmaster, but he'd refrain for the sake of professionalism.

He found himself looking forward to sixth period and Riku's calming smile, reassuring him that it was perfectly normal for a teacher to get lost on his way to the bathroom when he'd been directed there three times. Riku knew how to console him in the best possible, teacher-student ways. 

_ But . . . _

He wondered if the feel of Riku's hands brushing against him every now and then were an accident of intentional. Riku never seemed to notice, but Cloud's mind always sparked at the contact. He couldn't deny his own sexual preferences, nor would he try and hide it from the world. Or even his parents. He knew, however, that any sort of interest he might have in a student had to be taken care of at once for the sake of his job. Cloud loved teaching, and he wouldn't give it up for anything.

_ But . . . still . . . _

Just as he couldn't deny his sexuality, he couldn't deny Riku's stunning features, his shock of silver hair and piercing eyes. Each time Cloud met Riku's gaze, he found himself taken aback at the intensity, wanting to shy away from his aquamarine orbs and focus his attention elsewhere, like the floor or his desk. But sometimes, he couldn't look away. He tripped over his stuttering small talk and tumbled right into the blue-green abyss.

Cloud shuddered to think what might happen if the two were ever alone. 

"Mr. Strife?"

Bolting upright in his seat, Cloud regarded the student before him, smiling kindly–or nervously, he decided–when he realized it wasn't Riku. "What is it, Miss Takahashi?"

To her chest she clutched a gleaming black laptop, similar to the one Cloud soon hoped to own. If he was lucky, his roommate from college would call him back that night and discuss borrowing terms. "Um . . . the headmaster wants to see you, sir." She bowed her head, gazing purposefully at her shoes. "In his office."

"Thank you," Cloud called, gathering up his things in a haste and hurrying out the door. He left the girl behind in his classroom, staring after him with a curious expression. He didn't catch her girlish giggle as she watched him leave, her cheeks flushing crimson.

_ What did I do?! What if he caught me staring at . . . ?! I KNEW having him as a student was dangerous! He just gives off that aura . . . Oh god, but how could I look away from those eyes . . . _

Cloud's frantic thoughts screeched to a halt as he tried and failed to stop before crashing into a student in the middle of the lobby. The kid appeared to be on his way out, just like all the others around him, and–why did Cloud keep finding himself in this situation?

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" He cut himself off halfway, drinking in those gorgeous eyes and realizing at once whom he'd run into. "Oh, Riku. I'm sorry, I was on my way to the headmaster's office."

Those lips quirked into an amused smile. "No problem. I'm getting used to you slamming into me." Laughing lightly, Riku lifted Cloud's bag off the floor from where it had flown out of his hands, sweeping its contents back inside before returning it to its owner. "Later, Mr. Strife." 

He turned and rejoined the stream of students intent on returning to their rooms, leaving Cloud stuck in place with a disheveled book bag in his hands. _Did he really need to phrase it like that?_

Riku had long since left his side, though Cloud still stood in the center of the lobby, blocking everyone's path while he was lost in thought. When a boy intentionally elbowed him in the ribs, he remembered his meeting with the headmaster and resumed his earlier pace, unaware of knowing eyes following his every move from a corner of the hallway.

* * *

"Well, Mr. Strife, I've heard good things about you from your students. And it's only the first week! My, I believe this might very well be your calling, eh?" 

Nodding absentmindedly, Cloud found himself relieved that the headmaster hadn't called him in for anything serious. Like why he still didn't have a computer.  _ I really hope Leon calls me back tonight . . .  _

" . . . Seems you've developed some sort of relationship with Mr. Nomura. Of course, that's perfectly all right. Although we do have teacher's aids, if you really feel you need extra help."

"Um, right. Riku. I ran into him on my first day here, so I guess I just felt more familiar with him." Cloud's mind drifted off again, this time to the sight of Riku's eyes so close to his only a half an hour ago.

"In all due respect, Mr. Strife, I'd appreciate it if you'd to refer to your students by their last names. It's school policy. You wouldn't necessarily find it appropriate if Mr. Nomura called you by your first name, yes?"

"Right," came Cloud's distant reply, his eyes focused on the headmaster but his mind just not willing to cooperate today.

"Of course. Well, I just wanted to inform you that I believe you're doing marvelously, Mr. Strife. I believe you can go now." He gestured in a sweeping motion with his hand toward the door, and if Cloud hadn't resurfaced to the real world at that moment, he might've embarrassed himself in front of the headmaster. Standing from his seat, Cloud bowed as a symbol of respect and bid the elderly man farewell, exiting his office and returning to his thoughts.

His feet carried him toward the front door of the lobby, his hand reaching into his bag for his key. However, his finger didn't meet with the cool metal that should've been in the front pocket of the bag, instead sliding over an empty gum rapper and a toothpick.  _ Where . . . ? _

Freezing in place just outside the door, his mind raced, replaying the incident from earlier. A sinking feeling tugged as his stomach as he realized what must've happened, dashing back inside and scanning the area just to make sure. When the floor appeared devoid of any objects, he plunged into his book bag, digging around inside and whining like a child when he still didn't find his key. A few people were littered throughout the school's grand marble foyer, and so Cloud decided to check with lost and found, finding after a small chat with a snooty office woman that the school didn't have one.

_What the hell kinda school is this?!_ Cloud raced up the six flights of stairs, not wanting to bother with the elevator in his haste. At the end of the hall, however, he found his classroom had already been locked up, not a soul still present nearby that could've done so. Allowing a few seconds to catch his breath and grumble to himself about heinous "school policies," Cloud pulled at a spike of his hair in thought.

"Why does this shit always happen to me?"

Pouting in defeat and backtracking down the stairs, he eyed the ground below him in case he saw a flash of silver until he reached the foyer again. He caught the headmaster on his way out, calling out to him before he could leave. "Sir! Um . . . did you happen to see anything in your room that I may have . . . dropped?" he questioned gingerly, not wanting to display the sort of irresponsible personality he possessed to the headmaster. At least not yet.

The elderly man took a minute to think, rubbing his chin and rolling his eyes toward the ceiling. "No, I don't believe so. I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Strife. Have you lost something?"

"Oh, nothing important," he replied quickly, moving past the headmaster outside and trudging into the snow beyond the door. Around him, light flakes were falling to the tune of a delicate breeze, settling into his already pale hair as he took a moment to gaze at the scenery of the city, laid out before him and obscured here and there by various patches of tree-covered hills. Despite his frantic situation, the sight calmed him a bit, the headmaster joining him for a brief second and smiling a knowing smile.

When he glancing around and found himself alone, Cloud heaved a tired sigh, exhausted from running and panicking and teaching for the past seven hours. As he began to calm down, a familiar teenager ambled up the slight hill before him, a silver object clasped in one hand as his other waved at Cloud.

"Hey! Mr. Strife!"

Riku approached at a lazy speed, as if he were wandering around campus without any particular reason and just happened upon Cloud by accident. Whatever the case, Cloud could've kissed the teen when he stopped about two feet away from him and handed him his dorm key.

"Here. I think you dropped this when you ran into me earlier."

Cloud accepted it, feeling his fingertips brush against Riku's as a breathless "thank you" left his lips. The teen was a bit close, he noted, eyeing the distance with a quirked eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be in your room by now? Not that I'm complaining."

"I can wander around if I want," he protested, although without the bite of annoyance he might've held in his voice if he were speaking with any other teacher. "They don't care. I passed the headmaster on my way up here."

"Hm." Cloud nodded, remembering the conversation he'd had with the headmaster earlier about calling Riku "Mr. Nomura," his last name. It just seemed too formal, although he abided by the rule when it came to any other student.

Interrupting his thoughts, Riku said, "I found it on the floor after you left. Some girls saw you drop it, and they were going to run off with it, I think." He paused, flashing his signature devious smile. "You've got a fan club already, Mr. Strife. The girls seem to like you."

Curious, Cloud raised an eyebrow at Riku. "Really? I didn't know that."

He didn't think it possible, but Riku's smile gained a darker edge. "Yeah. I think they even have an official president. They call it the 'Prince Strife Fan Club,' or something like that." He chuckled a bit, obviously imagining Cloud as a prince.

_ Is he moving closer?! _ Cloud felt as if the short gap between them had shrunk in the past couple minutes, leaving barely a two-foot expanse. He felt anxious, shifting from one foot to the other uncomfortably.

"That's . . . odd," Cloud said, trying to keep the conversation going as his mind launched into all-out panic mode. "I've never had a fan club before."

Audacious as ever, Riku said, "But I can see why they like you."

Their faces now only inches apart, Cloud swallowed hard, feeling his body warming due to the proximity and wishing for some sort of distraction. When he thought about it, no one was around, and therefore no one would see them if he were to lean down and meet Riku's soft, resplendent lips . . . 

"I'll see you Monday," Riku whispered next to Cloud’s ear, eyes burning, almost with laughter, as he turned and retreated back down the hill, leaving Cloud in his sigh of relief . . . or disappointment.


	2. Chapter 2

**** By Monday morning, Cloud sat behind his polished mahogany desk, its space occupied by Leon’s old laptop, which the man had so generously donated to his former roommate. His fingers danced over the keys, his mind devoid of worries for the time being and free to wade through the events of Saturday. Leon had called him back early that morning, explaining that Cloud had about an hour to get down there before Leon had to leave, mentioning something about a bratty teenager and an ex girlfriend. With a quirk of his lips, the blond recalled the conversation with Leon once he had arrived at the stoic brunette’s small apartment downtown.

_ “Well, you’re talkative today.” _

_ “Hm.” _

_ “So, um, Leon . . .” _

_ “What?” _

_ “Can I . . . can I borrow your-” _

_ “Just take it, Cloud. I bought a new one.” _

_ “Thanks, Le-really? Can I try it out?” _

_ “No.” _

_ “...Asshole.” _

_ “Whatever.” _

Although he felt indignant at the time, a small voice in the back of Cloud’s head told him Leon had a soft spot for him and always had. He would never give his former prized possession to just anybody, even if he had one to replace it. Yet even if he  _ would _ , the point remained that Cloud had his laptop now, and his students were in for their first real assignment, his ideas steadily forming into the last bits of the lesson he had planned for the day.

_ And what better way to start the year than with a quick essay? _

Those students began filtering through the doorway at about that time, the early birds and teenagers who had nothing better to do, followed by the largest percentage of his class, and ending with the slacking stragglers or more talkative students who liked to linger in the hallway as long as possible. He knew which ones were which after a week’s careful observation, already planning the dreaded seating charts for the classes. Most teachers, he noticed during his trips to the common area, had already instituted a seating plan; they posted the charts on the insides of their open doors for all to see. 

When Cloud had examined a chart containing many names he recognized from his own classes, he caught himself scanning the page for one name in particular. It was becoming evident that whatever Cloud felt for Riku wasn’t specifically professional or even platonic. Given most of the weekend without much to do except dream up lessons for his classes, he found his thoughts meandering toward the silver-haired teen more than any of his other students. By Sunday night, he lay in bed with a set of piercing aquamarine eyes gazing into his whenever his lids managed to slip shut, imposing a brutal case of insomnia.

Thoughts of finally owning a computer didn’t dull the sight as much as they should have, instead provoking thoughts like  _ I wonder what books Riku likes.  _ Or  _ I wonder if he plays sports, he does look like the athletic type.  _ And finally,  _ I wonder if Riku’s a vir- _

The thoughts screeched to an abrupt halt there, Cloud dispelling any further musings from his mind and surrendering to his gently whispering dreams . . . about Riku. Early that morning, he had awoken with a drowsy yawn and an area of his male anatomy seeking immediate attention. No one before him had ever unleashed such a string of expletives once he realized that he had to forfeit his hot shower for an iced one.

_ Maybe I’ll just stay awake for the rest of my life . . . _

A metallic clanging rebounded through the hallways, announcing that the start of class had come, and he approached the head of the body of seated students, several of them yawning and struggling to keep their heads up. The previous day he’d overheard a few students loitering outside his dorm, excitedly discussing some sort of dorm party from the night before. With the knowledge that a few of them might still be recovering, he coughed lightly and offered a sunny grin for his students.

“Good morning, everyone. As you guys can tell, I’ve finally got my computer. So that means it’s time to start working. And before I give you your first assignment, I want you all to groan loudly and complain for a minute to get it out of your system. Ready . . . Go.”

The crowded room echoed with the displeased grumbles and afflictions of thirty-two drowsy juniors, a few thumping their heads on their desks a couple times and faking sobs. Suppressing an amused chuckle, he eyed them while pacing a slow line from wall to wall, pleased with the overall reaction.

“All right, stop whining.” He smirked when they didn’t comply right away, but he plowed onward. “Now, I want you all to write an essay.”

A brown-haired girl in the fourth row opened her mouth to protest, but Cloud raised a hand to silence her before she spoke. 

“Nope, you already did that.” He smirked at her dismayed frown. “It’s simple enough: write about your favorite book. Describe the characters, the plot, and your personal opinions on why this story is worth reading. You can all do that, right?”

An elongated arm caught his attention off to the left, and he pointed to the boy for him to ask, in his opinion, the dumbest question anyone could possibly think of. “What if you don’t have a favorite book?”

“I pity you,” Cloud responded coolly, his smile never faltering throughout the rest of the class. He subjected himself to countless questions, most ridiculous ploys used to stall, with a few legitimate queries here and there. Any lewd thoughts about Riku forgotten, he dove into the work that he loved each period with a smile, often wondering how he got so lucky as to stumble across the best job on the planet.

That is, until sixth period loomed on the horizon, his fifth period class having vacated the room already and leaving him without an excuse to meet the gaze of and talk to his new greatest fear. He hadn’t even noticed the silvery gleam of light reflecting from the teen’s shiny hair as he sauntered over the threshold and toward Cloud without hesitation.

“Hey, Mr. Strife.”

“Oh, hi Riku.”  _ . . . Riku!  _ “Did you have a nice weekend?”

A delicate smile painted his pale lips as Riku propped himself against Cloud’s desk, folding his arms confidently over his chest. _A very well-defined chest,_ Cloud thought despite himself. “It was all right. But it’s hard to get any reading done when the idiots next door are having a college-worthy frat party.”

So the rumors were true. “Hm. I didn’t get a lot done either. I had to drive into town Saturday and pick up my new laptop.” He fought the urge to beam up at Riku while gesturing to the sleek black object. “I’ve played around with the settings for hours.”

“So I guess we actually have work in here now.” Unlike the other students, the teen didn’t display any disappointment. If Cloud judged his tone correctly, he almost sounded excited. 

Hand resting centimeters from the teen’s, the blond could sense the beginnings of a blush behind his cheeks, struggling to hold Riku’s eyes with his own. “Yup. Prepare for an essay. Nothing too complicated, though.” A quick glance downward showed that their fingertips were almost touching, and Cloud battled with his nerves.  _ He’s doing that on purpose . . .  _

“Anything for you, Mr. Strife.”

Detecting the husky, almost suggestive, undertone in Riku’s voice, Cloud held himself perfectly still and waited for someone to save him. He couldn’t find a security camera in the whole damned building, but with the school’s technical advances, that didn’t surprise him. Right that moment the headmaster might be watching the faint brush of digits between the two, the intense eye contact, the smile skimming Riku’s lips as he twisted away from his instructor to wave at a friend of his entering the room. His hand withdrawing from Cloud’s, he retreated to his usual seat. 

For all Cloud knew, he was in severe danger of losing his new position before he ever really had a chance to enjoy it. Yet his thoughts lingered on the proximity of Riku's fingers moments ago, his breaths coming in shallow waves.

The loud clang of the bell sliced through his thoughts, and he felt relieved that he didn’t have time to think anymore. “All right, everyone, today we start working,” he began, abandoning his desk to address his students.

From his seat in the second row, Riku balanced a computer in his lap and stole periodic glances up at his idolized blond while he paced before the room, explaining the essay they were to write. A depressed mood surfaced within the group, the emotion evident on their faces and radiating from them like an aura. Listening intently, Riku was glad to finally have the chance to show Cloud his ability, wanting desperately to impress the blond. First impressions were  _ everything _ , after all.

His fingers fluttered over the keys now and then when he typed out a note or two from the instructor’s lecture, little tidbits he wanted to remember. Mostly his mind focused on the gentle curve of Cloud’s hips and their subtle sway as he paced, the dark fabric of his suit pants clinging nicely to his thighs. His eyes marveled at the faint pink of his lips while they formed words, blue crystal eyes flashing with delight as he revealed to Riku that he  _ loved  _ his job. It almost made the teen apprehensive about the entire ordeal. Almost.

“ . . . And make sure you pay close attention to detail. The key word here is ‘specificity.’ Learn that word. Apply it to everything you write.”

Without notice of the dreamy smile stretched across his face, Riku keyed the word into his text document in bold print, eyes returning to watch the instructor do what he did best.

* * *

On Wednesday, Riku decided to skip out on the meal and instead sought a table for his friends, two of which joined him shortly and wasted no time in attempting to be the first couple to successfully inhale each other.

“Sora, could you two tone it down while I’m sitting right here?” Riku cast a distasteful glance at his best friend before returning to his computer screen, furiously typing away at his homework for Mr. Strife. He wanted everything he wrote for the blond to be  _ perfect _ , and since Monday, when he received the assignment, he had worked on it obsessively, rethinking and reworking and fixing every minute detail. A simple essay had easily transformed into the most complex paper he’d ever written, and he continued to ignore the voice of reason shrieking in the back of his mind that pursuing his English lit instructor-not only that, but a neophyte fresh from college with his first real job-was a bad idea.

Grinning sheepishly, Sora’s eyes broke away from Kairi’s to peer over Riku’s shoulder. “Why are you working on that now? I thought you said it was due Friday.”

“Because it’s harder than I thought it would be,” he replied without halting in his writing.

The cinnamon-haired boy blinked at his best friend and shrugged, returning to his lunch tray and ignoring the fierce clicking of keys to his left. Riku was grateful that his friend didn’t question it further, the taste of guilt riding him already for not voicing the truth. He never did homework during lunch unless he absolutely had to, difficult or no, and Sora had to know this. But lately a certain instructor was invoking all sorts of new reactions from him.

“Hey guys.” A tray clinked on the table, followed by a white messenger bag and a matching Macbook. His cerulean eyes distant and hazy, a sandy-haired freshman took the seat across from Sora, skimming the common area, no doubt for a certain red-haired senior. “Has anyone seen Axel?”

Raising his hand to gesture over Roxas’ shoulder, Sora was about to point at the approaching redhead but halted, eyeing a slender finger’s journey to smiling lips while Roxas raised an eyebrow at Sora, frozen stupidly with his hand held loosely in the air.

“Uh, Sora?” he asked, snickering at the odd expression on Sora’s face. He couldn’t hear footsteps treading lightly behind him. “Are you-Aah!” Strong arms enveloped the blond as teeth descended to nibble on his earlobe, eliciting a sharp gasp and a squeak from the victim. The table’s other three occupants grinned up at the scene, enjoying Roxas’ disgruntled glare.

Chuckling lightly, Axel whispered just loud enough for their small party to hear, “Hey Roxas. You look positively delicious right now.”

Although his eyes remained trained to the screen, Riku found he couldn’t concentrate on the paper any longer, his ears picking up tidbits of conversation from the two boys as Axel antagonized his boyfriend and Roxas didn’t quite fight it off.

“Axel, someone’s gonna see us. I don’t need disciplinary homework on top of what I already have . . . ” Roxas trailed off weakly, inclining into Axel’s firm chest and resting his head against the older, fiery-haired teen’s shoulder.

Unlike with Sora and Kairi, Riku enjoyed watching the two passionate boys flirt with each other throughout the day, unafraid to express their love even if their peers didn’t approve. All they needed was the knowledge that they had friends who accepted them. It also helped that a few instructors who caught them breaking the PDA rule seemed to conveniently disregard the two. Riku admired them, though he knew that if he ever managed to snag his English lit instructor, he couldn’t be so open with his relationship.

_ It would be worth it, though _ . 

Lost for a moment in his thoughts, Riku almost didn’t pick up on his friends’ excitement around him as they pointed out a significant amount of girls gathered on the lounge side of the common are, discussing something in hushed voices and giggling. Remembering an overhead piece of conversation from a couple girls whose lockers were close to his own, he blinked curiously at them until the words “fan club” resurfaced in his mind.

_ The Prince Strife Fan Club. Do they really have nothing better to do?  _ “Are they serious?” Riku laughed, the question directed at Sora.

“Apparently,” the brunette murmured in response, his usual goofy grin adorning his face as he folded his hands behind his head. “They look pretty serious to me.”

A short, slender girl with shoulder-length, violet hair lead their group, positioned at the front of the mob of girls and calling for attention in a commanding voice. The five friends blinked at each other and leered back at the girls, watching in amusement as they continued with their meeting until the bell for fifth period pulled the gathering to an abrupt end. Dispersing quietly, the group rejoined the mass of students headed for class, their uniform-clad bodies disappearing easily into the crowd. Riku recognized a couple girls from his classes, however, including the leader of the pack: Eiko Carol. She was a ferocious girl, though she displayed a shy side during sixth period.

Before he could ponder her strange behavior, he was distracted by the deep, sultry words of one pyromaniac. “We don’t have to go to class, you know. I can take you back to my dorm and-”

“Axel, I like my French class. I’m not skipping it,” Roxas protested, smacking his boyfriend’s hand away from his backside.

Faking a pout, Axel folded his arms. “All right, fine. I’ll see ya later, Roxy. Meet at the usual place when school’s out, okay?” He didn’t wait for an answer, pressing a chaste kiss to Roxas’ forehead before separating from the group, a vibrant, red-orange backpack slung over one shoulder.

Smirking to himself, Riku followed suit, his mind overflowing with thoughts of his own favorite blond.  _ He looks like a model. White blond hair, cerulean eyes, fair skin. Adorable smile. That cute little ass.  _

“Hey jackass, do you mind getting the hell out of my way?”

“Huh?” Clearing his thoughts, Riku gazed straight into alarming green eyes, stumbling backwards and mumbling an apology. The slim, nymph-like girl muttered a string of curses and shifted past him, a few strands of her striking blond hair fluttering over her eyes.

The word “lovesick” crossed his mind once or twice, his thoughts wandering off once more as he rejoined the stream of students, unaware that a few of them were staring.

* * *

“And that’s it?” Cloud questioned incredulously, blinking at the screen with a raised eyebrow. Now that he had his laptop, he'd asked the teacher in the classroom across from him for help setting it up to the projector system. She had agreed with a small smile, and now Cloud knew why; all he needed to do was plug the HDMI cable into his laptop. He felt a little embarrassed that he hadn't figured it out himself.

Ms. Trepe nodded once, shifting her silver glasses higher on her nose with one finger. “Yes, there's all there is to it. But feel free to come to me if you have any other questions.” With a smile, she turned to leave, her sleek strawberry blond hair shining in the sunlight from above. Cloud was left alone to fuss with the settings, trying out some of the projector's features he'd read about last week, until he realized his sixth period students were due to arrive soon.

The first of them being Riku, who had, unbeknownst to Cloud, been leaning against the door frame for several minutes, watching Cloud's expressions while he was absorbed in his new technology. He turned his attention to the screen now displaying Cloud's desktop, and noticed something interesting about the username. "Cloud? That can't be your nickname, right?"

Without glancing up, Cloud shook his head. “Not a nickname. It's my actual first name.” His eyes widened a fraction when he finally met with intense aquamarine pools, gleaming with the new knowledge and inciting a sick sensation in Cloud’s stomach. _Someone tell me I didn’t just give out private information to a student! I’m gonna get FIRED in my second week here!_

“Cloud Strife,” Riku mused, repeating the name to himself as if exercising its particular sound on his tongue. “Interesting. Were your parents hippies?”

“Um, no not really . . . ” The blond’s inner eye flooded with the image of his pristine mother in tie dye, holding up her fingers in a “peace” sign. This was followed by a vision of his father, the stereotypical upper class businessman, but with a heavy mane of dreadlocks as he spouted off something about “love and unity.” 

Cloud shuddered, banning his imagination from ever going there again.

Opening his mouth once more, Riku was about to tease the man further on his odd name.

“Nomura!” a commanding but distinctly feminine voice cried out, a tiny girl approaching Riku with a determined stride and her arms akimbo. “I’ve been looking all over this school for you, you pasty-faced bastard! We  _ really  _ need to talk.”

Watching Riku visibly cringe, Cloud tried to interject. “Um, Miss Carol?”

Her attention switched from Riku to Cloud, her expression immediately softening at the sight of the blond instructor. She averted her eyes, suddenly developing a small, timid voice. “Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Strife. Pardon my language. Were you talking to this brat here?” Riku's pleading eyes met his, and he opened his mouth to reply, but the girl waved him off. “I’ll just be a sec.” Hands fisting into the white dress shirt of Riku’s uniform, the small girl dragged the taller teen back into the hallway, lips pressed into a thin line.

Her sharp, scolding tone echoed into the room, and although Cloud strained to hear, he couldn’t understand her words. But from the traumatized glances he received from his other students as they passed by the shrieking girl, whatever she had wanted to say wasn't good.

Snippets of Riku’s voiced mixed with Eiko’s spirited tones, his words almost drowned out by her scolding as he tried to slip a word in here and there. Eventually he seemed to give in, and Cloud watched an agitated Riku and a triumphant purple-haired girl reenter the classroom several minutes later, choosing seats as far apart as they could manage. With the bell announcing the start of class, Cloud blinked at the two of them in silent question, but neither Riku nor Eiko seemed to notice.

* * *

Grumbling under his breath, Riku made for the exit as soon as the bell rang, desperate to distance himself as much as possible from the fan club’s little president. Eiko didn’t appear interested in following him, although she simpered at him from her seat when she noticed he was still fuming.

Before he could leave, however, Mr. Strife-Cloud, he remembered-called out to him, a hand resting on his shoulder as he asked what had happened.

“It’s nothing,” Riku murmured, unwilling to share the conversation with Cloud as it had been solely about the unknowing blond.

_ “Stay away from Mr. Strife, Nomura! I know you've got a thing for him, and if you get him fired, I swear I will rip out every single one of your damned strands of pretty boy hair and burn them while you watch! I’ll stab out those wandering eyes and keep them as reminders of how much I despise you!”  _

To the disturbance of every student that happened to overhear, she continued in her tirade almost until the bell had rung. However, Riku couldn’t focus on her words, especially when she refused to let him plead his case.

_ . . . Am I that obvious? _

Cloud opened his mouth to ask another question but quickly shut it, holding back as he noticed Riku didn’t want to talk about it. When he realized he'd left his hand on Riku’s shoulder a beat too long, he hastily withdrew it, a red tinge creeping over his face. The silver-haired boy glanced at him, blinked upon noticing the blush, and grinned in his usual dark and mysterious way. Cloud’s classroom had emptied already, leaving the two painfully alone.

“I should go,” Riku stated, though he held his ground.

“Probably,” Cloud agreed, his legs refusing to move. He still needed to gather his things, and this situation just screamed “The headmaster’s going to walk in and discover you any minute now! Abort! Abort!”

But the two locked gazes, their bodies refusing to move in any direction, and Riku’s audacity returned to him as his lips formed over words-

“Mr. Strife! I’m really sorry, but I forgot something in your class,” Eiko apologized as she dashed back into the room past the two frozen in place and raced toward her seat. Shocked at the sudden interruption, the two quickly separated, Riku bolting for the door as the formidable girl located her lost object and followed him out. She waved goodbye to Cloud before pursuing Riku, her short legs surprisingly fast.

A few students dotted the hallways-those staying late for club activities, along with a few talkative cliques who hadn’t yet left the building. Everyone stared after the silver-haired teen and the determined girl giving chase, chattering among themselves and pointing at the odd scene. Riku ignored everything, dodging around students and running like Satan himself was on his heels.

_That girl practically IS Satan!_ _She’s_ _a__ freak!_

Once she found herself within reach, Eiko sprang into the air just as Riku met the stairs, the two plunging down a flight due to her momentum. They toppled over each other, Eiko deathly clutching Riku’s shoulders as the teen tried to fight her off and shield himself at the same time. A surprised yelp tore from Riku’s mouth, his body colliding against the cold, hard tile and exploding with pain.

“What the fuck?!” he yelled, shoving her off him as he nursed the arm that had received the blunt of the collision “You could have killed us! We’re on the sixth fucking floor!”

Smoothing out her skirt, Eiko pulled herself to her feet, smiling triumphantly at Riku. “Well now we’re on the fifth floor,” she pointed out irately. “And I thought I just told you to stay away from Mr. Strife!” The last part erupted as a shriek, her arms folded over her blouse and her eyes glaring down at him with an icy stare. Riku rolled his eyes.

“I don’t care what you  _ told _ me, Carol,” he drawled, using the stair railing to drag himself to his feet. His arm burned a stream of fire when he tried to move it, though it didn’t quite feel broken. Bruised, however . . . “I’ll talk to whoever the hell I want.”

Scowling darkly, Eiko opened her mouth to retort, when the two heard hurried footsteps rushing down the stairs. A familiar blond instructor paused at the bottom, examining them both and sighing. “Miss Carol, did you really just do that?”

A furious blush tinting her cheeks, Eiko couldn’t meet his eyes, instead offering an enraged glare at Riku. No words formed on her lips, and she hung her head in shame.

“I don’t want to punish you,” Cloud began, brows furrowed in thought. “So I won’t, as long as you apologize to Ri-Mr. Nomura.” Only Riku seemed to notice his small slip up.

“I’m sorry,” she bit out through clenched teeth, glaring daggers at Riku as he smirked back at her. She mouthed the words “It’s not over, Nomura” when Cloud's gaze turned away from her, and she fled the scene before Riku could respond to the threat. Instead of maybe continuing with whatever situation they had been in before Eiko’s interruption, the teen felt too beaten and exhausted to seduce his instructor, resolving to get some rest and start fresh the next day.

“Are you all right, Riku?”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, brushing off Cloud’s concern and wishing he were in his dorm room reading. _I was right about her. She is a crazy bitch_ _ . _

“. . . If you say so,” he replied, although a worried glint shimmered in his gorgeous blue eyes. Riku caught himself staring at it after a long silence, finally shaking his head and opting to leave. Without a word, he retreated down the steps, developing a slight limp when he realized his leg had suffered from the fall as well. He tried to shake it off, chanting to himself that his dorm wasn’t that far away, that he could make it. The stinging died down a few minutes after the initial impact, now only an annoying biting sensation in a couple of his limbs. Although when paired with a headache, they were officially a job for pain meds.

Cloud didn’t follow him right away, hanging back at the edge of the stairs and watching the teen struggle his way down the last four flights. His heart went out to the kid, though he still didn’t know what had taken place to make Eiko attack him. Scratching the back of his neck, the blond eventually followed Riku’s trail instead of taking the elevator, his messenger bag slung across his shoulder and knocking against his side. By the time he reached the outside, he couldn’t see the boy anywhere, figuring he must be headed for his dorm. The thought of what might have happened-had Eiko not interrupted-crossed his mind briefly as his footsteps crunched into the snow, sunlight slipping through the wispy cloud coverage overhead. A chilly breeze sifted through gravity-defying blond spikes, and Cloud stopped on the stone path toward his dorm, enjoying the cool air as it caressed his face. While he spent his days locked up in the inferno of his classroom, the heat turned on full force and unrelenting, he loved to sneak outside during his lunch period and enjoy the refreshing cold for a few minutes. The frosty air kept him awake, and the beautiful sight of glistening white snow kept him alive.

_That’s _why Cloud had applied for the job; he loved teaching, and he loved snow. Yuffie had suggested the idea as a joke a year ago, laughing that it suited Cloud perfectly, and Leon had agreed with a slight nod. 

_“Look at this, Cloud! You remember that snobby_ _academy from back home? You could get a job there. It’s up in the mountains, and I hear it’s always snowing there, even in the summer.”_

If only Yuffie knew how right she had been.

Humming a faint melody from a song he'd heard during lunch, Cloud continued his trek toward his dorm, lost in thought about the laptop and the projector until he came across a scene that made his heart sink into his stomach.

“Riku!” The teen was laying on his back in the snow, his backpack on the ground beside him as he stared up at the clouds.

“Hm?” the teen mumbled, reacting to the voice and twisting around to see who spoke. “Mr. Strife?”

“You lied! You’re not okay!” Cloud exclaimed, panicking at the sight of one of his students- _ and Riku, too! _ -lying in the snow and possibly hurt.

“I’m fine,” the boy persisted stubbornly, shifting into a sitting position. “I just tripped. I’ll be okay.” He met anxious blue orbs with calm green eyes, sighing when he knew Cloud wasn’t satisfied. “Really. Can you help me up?” 

Cloud reached down to tug Riku upward, the teen dusting loose snow off his clothes when he stood upright. Examining his arm, which he'd deduced had taken the brunt of his earlier fall, Cloud fussed over Riku, insisting he call his parents to take him to a doctor as soon as possible.

“It’s all right, Mr. Strife . . .” He paused, as if debating how to word his next question. “Is it okay if I call you Cloud?”

Blinking and staring at Riku as if he didn’t quite understand, Cloud thought about his halfway timid question, lips parted slightly, a blond eyebrow twitching every few seconds.  _ I guess it couldn’t hurt . . . It’s not like he’s going to tell anyone. _ “It’s only fair, isn’t it? I don’t call you by your last name.”

In something like relief, the teen sighed, a gentle smile gracing his lips. “It’s weird, how we keep finding ourselves in situations like this.”

“At least I didn’t run into you this time,” Cloud pointed out, returning the smile with a brighter one of his own.

Riku grinned. “No, but you didn't punish the girl that assaulted me,” Riku countered, faking an angry tone. “And I thought you liked me, Cloud,” he laughed, a trap deliberately laid out for his teacher.

“I do!” Cloud objected, certain that Riku was serious. When he realized his error, blue eyes doubled in size, followed by an intense shade of vermilion invading his face.  _ Oh. SHIT. _

There was that signature devious smirk, Riku’s eyes blazing with intensity as the temperature rose a few hundred degrees, Cloud wondering when they'd gotten so close to each other. “It’s good to know you feel that way, Cloud.”

The blond swore Riku  _ purred  _ his name, voice laced and dripping evocatively. Aquamarine eyes sparkled with a poisonous edge, the situation flipped from platonic to suggestive in a matter of seconds.

“Riku,” Cloud warned, attempting to sound firm and failing miserably.  _ God, he’s just so fucking tempting . . . and he knows it, too. _

“Yeah?” Riku asked in the same low, seductive tone.

A pale hand roughly grasped at Riku’s forearm, ignoring the slight wince from the teen as he dragged him against his chest, the boy’s face resting a breath away from his lips. The sea of fierce green never left his eyes, a flash of surprise sparking in them when their bodies pressed flush against each other. Still gripping Riku tightly, Cloud thought it was over. However, he slipped his eyes shut and turned his head, prying his fingers away from the teen’s body and stumbling backward.

“Riku,” he breathed, swallowing over the thick lump in his throat and exhaling sharply. “We can’t.”

“I know,” he whispered, disappointment evident in his voice. “But . . . ”

“If we were caught . . . I could lose my job. I could go to prison. Do you understand?” It was a stupid question; of course Riku understood. Cloud could empathize with the teen though, experiencing himself the profound sense of discontentment as everything was finally laid bare. But simple attraction . . . could easily become so destructive.

“Keyword,” Riku stated softly, “is ‘if.’”

_ He doesn’t understand. Or he doesn’t want to. _ Unable to meet the teen’s gaze, Cloud shook his head, stepping past Riku and leaving him alone in the snow as he made for his dorm. His mind pulsed with activity, thoughts racing and circling each other until they returned to the same conclusion.  _ I almost kissed Riku. I almost KISSED Riku. Oh God.  _

As he reached his home, jamming a key into the lock and twisting, he knew he wouldn’t find comfort in the plush pillows piled atop his bed, nor the prospect of delving into a book later on. He could only rerun scenarios in his head.  _ Almost. ALMOST. What if I had? What if we were caught? What if, what if, what if . . . ? _

To his dismay, he still had one more day left in the week, one more day to face Riku with the memory still fresh in their minds. At least he still had the rest of that day and night to think things through. He knew it wouldn’t be over, just like that.

Besides, Cloud wasn’t sure he quite understood it either-Riku’s words suddenly seemed to make sense.  _ Keyword, huh? _

_ What if we get caught?  _ his mind pleaded, asserting an understandable concern. His hands dug at his blond spikes, tugging and pulling them nervously as he tried to think. After a few minutes, simple realization dawned, the most obvious thing in the world. A dangerous resolution.  _ Or . . .  _

_ What if we don’t? _

* * *

Instead of returning to his dorm room to be alone with his thoughts, Riku instead followed an overexcited brunette to his room and sprawled out across the boy’s bed, rethinking the scenario with Cloud much like he had his essay.

“How come you never complain when Axel and Roxas kiss out in the open?”

The sudden question startled Riku out of his reverie, jolting him back to the reality that he and his best friend were supposed to be spending time together. “What are you talking about, Sora?” he questioned, raising a slender, silver eyebrow at the younger teen.

“You always act like you’re mad at Kairi and me, but you never yell at them or anything.” Sora’s blue orbs bored holes into his dorm room floor, as if he were afraid to meet Riku’s eyes.

“Sora, that’s ridiculous,” Riku protested, punching his friend playfully on the arm. “It’s all in your head.” He knew the reasons perfectly well, and he felt a tug of guilt nipping at his heart for lying to Sora  _ again _ . Innocent to a fault, the younger, cinnamon-haired kid would never suspect him of speaking anything but the truth, having always followed his words as if Riku were Master of the Universe.

With a slow nod, Sora dropped the matter entirely, grinning up at Riku with a subject change on his tongue. “Hey, you wanna go outside and build a snowman?”

“Are you serious?” Skeptical, Riku stared at his best friend for a long minute, the kid never once faltering in his smile.

“Yup. We haven’t made one together in a long time. Unless you have homework . . . ?”

Shaking his head and glad that his essay for English lit had been finished-several times over-Riku agreed to build a snowman with Sora, the brunette leading him out the dorm's double doors and into the gentle snowfall outside. Tossing his head back, Sora stuck out his tongue, a few flakes nestling into his mouth and melting upon contact. Before long, Riku found himself doing the same, fingers brushing his bangs out of his eyes. He knew hanging out with Sora would take his mind off his earlier rejection, and he had been right.

“I heard once that every snowflake is different. Unique. Isn’t that weird, Riku?” Without waiting for Riku to respond, Sora sprinted ahead, disappearing around the corner of the building for a few minutes before returning with the beginnings of their snowman. His palms sculpted the snow into a proper shape, gathering and pressing it together into a neat little sphere. 

Copying his motions, Riku dove into the snow, his hands chilling when they dipped below the inches of precipitation, and began forming another ball. The two boys locked gazes, and suddenly the simple activity twisted into a friendly competition, Sora and Riku racing and shoving their snow mounds ahead of them in an attempt to make one bigger than the other’s. Within minutes, the white lumps were almost too heavy to push any farther, though neither boy was willing to give in first. Not until Sora skidded on a slippery patch on the ground and lunged into the snow to avoid his ball did they agree that the two mounds were big enough, almost perfectly tied in size. Which left the decision as to which would go on top.

“Mine looks bigger,” Sora insisted, but Riku waved him off.

“Are you crazy? Your ball would collapse under mine.”

“No it wouldn’t!” the brunette argued, shoving playfully at Riku.

“Oh yeah?” he countered, shoving back at Sora a little too hard. Sora barely kept from returning to the cold depths of the snow, and his eyes gleamed indignantly at Riku as he shoved back.

Before they knew it, Sora had pulled them both back to the ground, trying to wrestle each other into submission and laughing warmly when the sky seemed to open the floodgate, frozen bits of ice pouring over them and soon coating them in a clingy white blanket.

“It blends into your hair,” Sora laughed, pulling at a silvery strand.

Riku swiped his hand away. “Ha ha. Funny.” 

A comfortable silence passed, where the two sat side by side in the snow, Sora beginning to shiver in his melted snow-drenched clothing. A flurry of flakes continued to dance in the frigid air, settling into Sora’s nest of hair and coating it with a fine layer. Riku admired the peaceful gaze of his best friend’s face, eyes distant and thoughtful.

“Hey Sora?” Riku questioned suddenly, turning to face his younger friend.

Startled, Sora glanced upward at Riku, broken from his chain of thought. “What is it?”

“We never did finish that snowman.”

Blinking in realization, Sora vaulted to his feet, glancing around wildly in search of the two lumps of snow they had rolled up. “Uh . . . ” He pointed toward the two mounds, buried under several inches of snow and wholly unsalvageable.

With an amused chuckle, Riku stated, “Well, there goes that plan.”

“Yup.” Sora pondered for half a second before grinning, folding his arms behind his head. “Wanna go make hot chocolate? My mom packed some for me.”

Picturing Sora’s energetic mother in his mind, Riku nodded. “Yeah. It’s freezing out here.”

Together, the two boys trudged through the thick layers of snow back inside the dorm, Sora babbling about school and Kairi and home; Riku lost track of the conversation after the first few minutes. His thoughts roamed, tracing back to the vivid memory from just a couple of hours ago and filling him with, instead of sadness, a new resolve.

He  _ would  _ have Cloud, one way or another.


	3. Chapter 3

Three A.M. found Riku propped against a wall in the hallway and seething, a closed door giggling incessantly at him to his left. Yes, the damn thing openly mocked him and his pure idiocy, for after one of his late night excursions to the communal bathroom at the end of the hall, he had somehow managed to lock himself out of his own dorm room.

_ How the HELL did I forget my key? _

Without an inking for what to do, the teen slipped an elastic hair tie from around his wrist and twisted the black band over his silvery locks, pinning them from his eyes so he could  _ think _ . 

In his mind, he laid out his options on a metaphorical table, immediately throwing out the ridiculous and the downright insane without a second thought. Oddly enough, the first idea that crossed his mind was to seek out Cloud, but  _ that _ fell under the category of “downright insane.”

As in,  _ hell no _ .

His second thought to be discarded was to try and force his door open somehow. Although slightly more logical than trekking across a huge expanse of snow-drenched school grounds–dotted with various buildings–in the dark, this notion wouldn’t pass over too well with the headmaster. Daunting block letters flashed the word “EXPELLED” before his eyes, and he tossed the idea into the “ridiculous” pile.

A less dangerous sentiment threaded itself together soon after–he had  _ friends _ . If he remembered correctly, Roxas had mentioned his room number sometime at lunch during the week. And they happened to share a corridor.

With a quick sigh of relief, Riku padded barefoot down the hallway, the air frigid and unforgiving to his lack of a shirt and thin cotton pajama pants. The elastic clung desperately to his hips as he quickened his pace, glancing up at the golden numbers engraved on each door.

Though the school itself had undergone major renovations over the years, the dorms had remained relatively similar to their appearance from decades ago–with the exception of a few small changes for luxury and security. The door's outline consisted of the same dark wood found throughout the grounds, adorned with intricate crown moldings and base boards. Brass handles embellished every door, and matching sconces lined the wall every few yards. The sconces provided dim lighting, sufficient only for one’s trip to the bathroom and back. Or for finding a friend’s dorm.

When the number “413" caught his eye to his left, Riku halted in mid-step and shifted tentatively toward the door, guilt suddenly eating at him for wanting to wake Roxas up so late at night. However, an odd shifting noise and a muffled cry startled him from this thoughts, inciting a fleeting suspicion that Roxas was very, very awake.

_ Wait . . . he was talking to Axel about his room number at lunch. But they wouldn’t– _

Slicing through his thoughts, the bizarre scuffling from behind the door persisted, and at once Riku wished he would’ve waited outside his own dorm for morning.

Apparently, yes. Yes, they would.

Swallowing the tinge of pink from tainting his face, Riku balled his fingers into a fist and knocked sharply on the hard wood. Once his hand ended its barrage, the noises ceased, and Riku folded his arms over himself to fend off the cold while he waited for someone to answer.

Several agonizing seconds slipped by, where Riku cursed himself several times over, cursed his parents and his lack of a roommate, and cursed Roxas for forcing him to wait in the cold hallway. Finally, finally, the heavy door cracked open enough for a mop of blonde hair and dazed blue eyes to peek out at Riku, the remainder of the boy’s body skillfully hidden in the darkness.

“Riku? What’s wrong?” came the muffled whisper, Roxas’ mouth lost behind the expanse of the door.

“I got locked out of my room . . . and I don’t have a roommate. Would you mind if I stayed with you for tonight?” 

Sky blue orbs blinked twice at Riku, a smidgen of the teen’s body creeping from out of the dark to reveal his mouth and his complete lack of clothes. Said mouth opened to speak, though the words died in his throat when a taller, equally naked figure latched onto him from behind and rested his head along the curve of the boy’s neck, a mane of fiery red hair splayed out over the arch of his back.

“Sure, you can stay. You got any ear plugs?”

_ Great...  _

* * *

With a frustrated sigh, Cloud twisted beneath his three thick blankets and settled himself on his right side once more, glaring toward the innocent white wall. If it were alive, it might’ve shrunk away in terror, whimpering pathetically and shaking. Instead, the defiant vertical surface glared back with the same intensity, and the blond grumbled under his breath as he jerked a blanket over his head.

He couldn’t stop  _ thinking _ . What if’s and maybe’s and would’ve been, could’ve been’s sang him a tuneless lullaby, only ceasing when a distant thought interrupted with something like  _ I wonder if Riku’s as miserable as I am right now. _

Oh, if only he knew.

But he didn’t know, and he had convinced himself that the silver-haired junior had drifted off to an easy sleep without a care in the world, filling Cloud with the bitter feeling of misery.

The only solace Cloud found that night came with imagining the unknowing teenager in countless life-threatening or otherwise mortally embarrassing situations, depending on his exact mood when the idea surfaced. Such as the classic hanging of underpants from a flag pole. However, Cloud’s sleep-deprived brain pointed out to himself that if Riku’s boxers were dangling from a flag pole, they weren’t on his body, and generally speaking one had to remove one’s pants before the boxers could go. This provided him with a rather detailed vision of Riku sans clothing. Because, Cloud reasoned, if his boxers were indeed gone, along with his pants, what was the point of keeping his shirt?

The disgruntled blond cast another distasteful scowl at the white wall through his tattered red blanket, flopping onto his back and sighing. His sharp sense of time predicted that he had about two more hours of sleep left in the night, and he’d be damned if he didn’t get them.

Two hours later, Cloud learned that he was indeed damned as the raucous scream of his alarm punctured the silence, startling him from a reverie he hadn’t realized his mind had ventured on. For several seconds as the blaring alarm continued to shriek, he attempted to retrace his thoughts and find that comforting haven, if for only a few brief seconds.

However, his alarm clock had a tendency to grow louder and more obnoxious the longer it went ignored, and after only five minutes Cloud gave up in his thought-chasing and pushed all three blankets from his body. A fist slammed onto the poor little clock, effectively silencing it–at least for another ten minutes. Reveling in the quiet, he slid onto his feet and crossed the room toward his closet.

A dramatic yawn forced him to halt in his search for clothes, tearing from his throat and demonstrating how much sleep he’d lost and how he’d pay for it later.

_ Great. _

* * *

On the opposite side of campus, Riku didn’t feel too much better as he led a dorm administrator–a janitor, really–upstairs to his room, one of the master keys clutched in the man’s withered and blotched hand as he strolled alongside the exhausted teen. The silver-haired junior hadn’t caught an ounce of sleep all night, what with his racing thoughts and his friends’ raging hormones. To his utter delight (no, really), class started in twenty minutes, and his resolve from yesterday had all but dissipated once he’d had time to convince himself that things with Cloud were hopeless.

The elderly man shoved his key into the lock and twisted until they heard a click announcing that the room was open. 

“There ya go, Mr. Nomura,” the dorm admin said with a deep southern accent, pulling at his thick mustache as he turned and retreated down the hall.

Once the door swung open and allowed him access to his dorm, Riku rushed in, threw on his uniform, and snatched up all his things, his mind’s clock ticking off the seconds. His brain chanted  _ I’m gonna be late _ so many times he thought his head might explode, but it remained in tact as he slammed his dorm room door behind him, making sure that his key was tucked safely in his bag. Making a mental note to buy a neck strap for the damn thing, he sprinted down the stairs, the hallway devoid of all other students so close to the time for first period. The double doors to his building swung outward with a forceful push once he reached them, and his feet pounded tracks in the snow on his journey toward the school. It loomed over him ahead, so far away; he knew a trip to his locker wouldn’t be possible. Just when his breath began to grow heavy, and his brain screamed  _ HURRY _ . . . 

He crashed in through the school’s heavy metal doors, hoping the impact hadn’t hurt his laptop as he made for the elevator. 

_ Screw the stairs, I don’t have time. _

His hand mashed the “up” button next to the polished doors, and they immediately parted to allow him access. Panting, he stumbled inside and punched the number five, clutching at his chest as the doors slid shut and the elevator lurched upward. Remnants of snow clung to his pants, melting in the warmth of the building and leaving behind a wet spot that crept up his pants legs. Mixed with a tiny sheen of sweat, his wet clothes would undoubtedly take away from his concentration.

However, he pushed the state of his clothing to the back of his mind when he noticed that he shared the elevator with the headmaster.

“Um . . . ”

The man must have been watching him from the moment he stumbled inside, and Riku felt a red tinge threatening to invade his face. Thankfully, the elevator halted on the fifth floor, and Riku rushed through the doors as soon as they opened. Throughout the school the warning bell rang, signaling he had exactly sixty seconds to make it to class.

It laid just to his left once he stepped into the hallway, and he gladly slumped over the threshold and found a seat in the back just in time. So far, things didn’t look good, what with his unkempt appearance and his sopping uniform pants. However, he was happy to know that his tame silver hair fell perfectly into place despite its lack of care, and with that one relieving thought he dug through his bag in search of his world history book and his laptop.

* * *

Cloud never thought he’d be so thankful to watch his fourth period students shuffling into the hallway, sorry that he had accepted the last lunch break without protest**. **His reflection on the polished desk gleamed back at him with purple circles under lackluster eyes, blond tendrils of hair sweeping over his face. For once, he actually planned to use the once-labeled “unnecessary” instructor’s lounge, when a sprightly and scantily-clad visitor blocked his path.

“Hiya, Cloud! Leon told me you got a job up here, so I decided to come see ya!”

Blinking once or twice, Cloud regarded Yuffie with a nod and moved to slip past her.

“Hey, where are you going?! I drove all the way up here to see you and you don’t even say hello!” Hand raised, she poised herself to deliver a sharp smack to the back of his head, but froze when she noticed the drained expression he displayed. “Oh Cloud, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled, rubbing at an eye irritably. “I’m just tired.”

“Come on,” she urged, snagging Cloud’s arm and leading him out the door. “You’ll feel better once you eat something.”

With Yuffie dragging him into the elevator, Cloud allowed his thoughts to wander toward the alarming stack of essays he had acquired, wondering for a brief second if he might coerce Yuffie into grading them for him.

“Hey, don’t you know it’s rude to stare?!” With her tongue protruding from her mouth, Yuffie scowled at the sole other occupant of the elevator, who happened to be the man that had spoken out against Cloud’s classroom during the staff meeting. Glancing upward into fierce green eyes, he fought the urge to sprint back out into the hallway and take the stairs. A graceful blanket of silvery hair cascaded down the man’s back, lustrous and shining under the fluorescent lighting. Cloud would’ve admired it if those eyes didn’t flash a dangerous glare filled with hatred at them both, a slender eyebrow twitching ever so slightly with anger.

Promptly averting his eyes, Cloud pressed himself as close to the opposite wall of the elevator as possible.

The elevator’s journey to the second floor progressed at an agonizingly slow pace, the tension so evident in the air that Cloud could capture it in a jar and save it for later, if he wanted to. However, a rather vivid mental image of that same tension breaking out of its jar and eating him in his sleep flooded his mind, and he suppressed a mortified squeak as a cheerful  _ ding  _ broke the silence. Without hesitation, he scrambled into the hallway, not caring to check if this were even the correct floor. Yuffie spared another taunting comment for the man behind them, unfazed by his impressive stature and furious demeanor. Cloud would never understand her.

“I didn’t think Leon was serious when he first told me,” she rambled, and Cloud effectively tuned her out when he sensed her “I’m about to drown you in ceaseless talking” tone. Yuffie had a bad habit for not knowing when to shut up. Still, Cloud found that while he loved his new position, he also missed his friends. Yuffie’s visit might help take his mind off Riku.

Might. If the kid wasn’t standing _right _ _ there _ .

Halting mid-step, the blond’s thoughts raced and his heart plummeted as the silver-haired junior rose from his crouch on the floor, gathering his things and slamming his locker door shut. For a brief second their eyes met, aquamarine to sky blue, and it wasn’t until silvery strands of hair vanished from view that Cloud realized Yuffie had stopped talking.

With a shaky breath, Cloud dared a glance at the mischievous young woman while his heart pounded against its prison.

She seemed to be thinking, staring at the place the boy had just vacated and chewing her bottom lip. Abruptly she regarded Cloud with a knowing smirk and asked, “Who was that?”

“A student,” Cloud replied in a tone that suggested she drop the subject without argument. For once, she obliged and continued their path down the hallway, picking up where she’d left off in her endless monologue. Cloud was glad for her talkativeness as his mind threatened to drift off again.

_ His eyes . . .  _

The emotion in Riku’s brilliant eyes had been unreadable for that half a second, bordering both hurt and lust. If Yuffie had recognized it with her ever perceptive female intuition, she would attempt to seize control of the situation. A damn vigilante at best, Yuffie never passed up an opportunity to take matters into her own hands. And matchmaking was her favorite pastime.

Stifling a worried groan, Cloud forced himself not to linger on it as they approached the staff room at last, focusing his thoughts on getting some rest before lunch ended.

* * *

Clutching at his messenger bag's strap around his neck, Riku halted at the end of the hall and listed against the stair railing, the audible pounding of blood echoing in his ears. Cloud had looked straight at him, and he had stared back; he couldn’t help but rake his eyes over his instructor’s toned form, his black suit hugging his thighs just a bit, just enough to fill his imagination with lewd images. Cloud’s rejection had only heightened his longing to have what wasn’t his, and he knew that sixth period would bring his death along with it.

With a long exhale of breath, Riku ascended the staircase toward the third floor and the common area, the distant sounds of talkative students and clattering lunch trays reaching his ears and steadily growing in volume the higher he climbed. Sucking down deep breaths to calm himself, he reached the top step and continued toward the winding line of students waiting for food.

_ The others should take my mind off Cloud for a while. I’ll just get something to eat and– _

“Hey you, Nomura!”

_ Dear God . . . _

Riku’s fingers were inches away from grabbing a lunch tray, his other hand dipping into his bag for his ID card, when he froze at the sound of a painfully familiar voice calling him out from across the room. Dropping his hand, Riku glanced over his shoulder to witness every member of his instructor’s ridiculous fan club surrounding him with folded arms and intense glares. At the forefront of the heinous mob stood, to Riku’s displeasure, Eiko Carol, one hip jutted to the side and her arms akimbo as her foot tapped impatiently.

Heads turned throughout the room as the petite girl stepped out of her posse and approached Riku with an accusing finger. Carrying a vengeful tone that sounded distinctly feminine despite the malice laced within, she said, “I saw what happened yesterday. Outside.”

Riku almost thought he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes when his expression turned decidedly defiant and he too folded his arms. “So?”

Unfazed, her lips twitched into a wicked smile and she dropped her voice. “ _ So _ , Mr. Strife isn’t interested in you. I suggest you leave him alone before we’re forced to take action.”

Staring down at her without a hint of relenting, Riku whispered low, “No, I don’t think I will.” It didn’t matter that he had already considered the idea–he loved her flustered expression and her tiny hands clenched in fists as she struggled for words. A pissed-off Eiko created a happy Riku.

Regaining her composure, she spoke in the calmest tone she could muster, “That’s it. If you won’t listen, we’ll have to resort to drastic measures.”

The junior fought back an amused chuckle at her threats. “Like what? Are you going to hit me?”

For half a second, she looked as if she would. “No. But I’m sure the headmaster would love to hear all about your little  _ thing _ ,” she stretched out the word and layered it with disgust, “for an instructor.”

It took every ounce of willpower to not start panicking. “You wouldn’t do that. It’s cheap.”

“Whatever works,” she replied with a smug smile, knowing she finally had the upper hand. 

And what luck, the headmaster had just wandered into the common area. Riku gave away this fact by glancing over Eiko’s head at the man as he made his way through the throng of students. Eiko followed his line of sight, glancing over her shoulder, her face lighting up with delight when she recognized the man she wished to see. Before Riku could stop her, she pushed her way through the crowd.

“Excuse me, headmaster!”

Before she could reach him, however, gleeful shrieks erupted from several girls in the crowd, and everyone began flocking to the table where Riku’s friends usually ate lunch. Following the cheering mass of girls, he raised himself on his toes to gaze over their heads and see what distraction had saved his life.

His eyes caught sight of fiery red mixed with sandy blond, the two teens’ mouths meshed fiercely and their hands roving over skin as if the world were ending. Axel had the smaller boy pinned to the floor, clutching Roxas’ wrists above his head with one hand as the other slipped underneath the freshman’s white button down. Writhing beneath the vicious torment, Roxas tossed his head back and allowed a breathless moan to escape his rosy lips.

The girls were drooling.

“Step aside! Step aside, please!” the headmaster called, gently coaxing the giggling females out of his path as he approached the source of the uproar, cringing at the suggestive gasps and pants from the two boys. When his eyes fell upon two of his students attacking each other in the floor, he had expected something a little more violent. That is to say, something less . . . hot. For several minutes he did nothing but splutter and blush a brilliant shade of crimson as he watched the display. If Riku didn't know any better, he'd think the older man was trying to convince himself that it wasn't arousing. When the younger of the two on the floor made to remove the redhead’s shirt, the headmaster immediately found his voice. “Stop! Don’t go any further! You are violating school rules! I will have you suspended for weeks! GET UP!”

As if they had just noticed the many spectators–mostly girls cheering for them to continue–Axel and Roxas pried themselves apart and gazed with half-lidded eyes up at the headmaster. Axel flashed a warm grin for the man but made no move to stand up. Instead, he draped an arm around Roxas’ waist and pulled the boy closer.

“Hello, headmaster. Is something wrong?”

“So . . . something w-wrong?  _ Wrong _ , Mr. Winters? Why I’ve never . . . never seen such a thing . . . SUSPENSION! You’re both suspended! I’m calling your parents! Come with me!” He gestured with his hand toward the direction in which he had just come, but he didn’t drag the boys up by their forearms as he normally would. If fact, he seemed more interested in distancing himself as much as possible, slowly backing away as the two pulled each other to their feet, making no attempt to straighten their disheveled uniforms.

Without looking at the man, Axel said, “I think your nose is bleeding, headmaster. You’ll want to take care of that.”

“Yes,” he mumbled absentmindedly, touching at the sticky substance dribbling over his lips with a shaky finger.

Hand in hand, the two boys followed him toward the office and their punishment, the common area erupting into cheers from their friends and the many supportive girls. As they passed Riku, Roxas muttered, “You owe us,” under his breath before they disappeared into the crowd.

With an indignant huff, Eiko and her unbridled group of fangirls dispersed, muttering to each other and casting Riku heinous glares. He struggled between smiling in victory and shivering from the gleam in that girl’s eyes, eventually settling for remaining impassive until they were no longer in sight.

Though the source of the action had gone, the common area buzzed with whispers and gossip like an electricity spreading from person to person. Riku decided to skip eating once again and took a seat at his usual table, most likely the place Axel and Roxas had just vacated.

For a moment or so he watched Sora shovel mashed potatoes into his mouth, seemingly unfazed by the display their friends had made. Kairi watched him with an expression of amazement on her face, though she had known Sora since second grade and should’ve come to expect such eating habits from him.

“Sora . . . ” she began with purpose but faltered when he moved from the potatoes to the fresh apple perched on the edge of his tray. “Oh, never mind.”

Pausing mid-bite, Sora glanced at his girlfriend with a questioning gaze and half a mouthful of apple. “Mm?”

The cheerful girl giggled at the sight of juice trickling down his chin. “You’re such a pig sometimes,” she teased, grabbing a napkin to wipe the mess away.

“Sorry, Kairi.” He folded his arms behind his head. “I didn’t realize.”

“No, of course not. Why is it I hang out with you?”

“Because you love me?” he asked hopefully.

“I suppose.”

Riku watched them silently, their actions so cute and sweet that he almost wanted to gag, but he really felt more depressed than disgusted. His two best friends were so happy together, and here he was, alone. Not even the thought of Axel and Roxas saving him from Eiko could cheer him up, and so he stood from the table without offering an explanation to his friends, intent on wandering around the school until lunch ended.

Except, just before he reached the edge of the staircase, he paused at the site of a black-haired girl exiting the elevator. She was too young to be an instructor yet too scantily clad to be a student, and Riku had never seen her before. After a quick once-over of her slender body, he hoped she didn’t intend to go outside anytime soon in her skimpy clothes.

When her eyes rested on him, the dark shade brightened a bit, a smile illuminating her face. “Hey you, kid.”

Riku frowned at the name, remembering Cloud had called him the same thing when they had first met. He felt more irritated when this girl said it, however, because she couldn’t be more than a couple years older than him at the most.

She approached him slowly, eyes scanning him as if analyzing. Riku tried not to become indignant at the knowing smirk that spread over her lips, a hand resting on her hip as she studied him.

“Not bad. I approve.”

“I’m sorry, what the hell are you talking about?” He didn’t want to deal with some girl inspecting his body like a show dog, nor did he care if she “approved.” Whatever that was supposed to mean.

She held up both hands, palms toward him and her face almost dejected. “Hey, you don’t have to get mean. I was just wondering why Cloud ogled you like a piece of meat earlier.”

Caught off guard by her words, his eyes widened. “What do you mean?”  _ If I remember, I’m the one that was staring at him like that. _

With a half smile, she snickered lightly at his surprised tone. “There’s no two meanings to it–Cloudy was checking you out. And he’s got good taste.”

“Um?”

She giggled. “Oh right. My name’s Yuffie. What’s yours?” Yuffie stretched a hand out toward him, but he disregarded it.

“It’s Riku. But about Cloud–”

“It must be tough,” she interrupted, as if she hadn’t heard him talking, “you being a student and Cloud being a teacher.”

“I . . . yeah, I guess.” He watched her as she slowly began to circle him, tapping her lips in thought.

“I can tell you two have a thing for each other though.” Now standing behind him, Yuffie halted, and Riku could feel her eyes on the back of his neck. “You want to know something about Cloud?”

Riku nodded once, wondering if she would recognize the motion from behind him.

“Cloud’s stubborn.” This much Riku already knew. But she continued, “You can’t let him have his way all the time. Don’t wait for him to act, because trust me, he won’t.” The way she said it made Riku wonder how Yuffie felt about the blond instructor herself. Her tone was almost wistful, dejected. “Understand? Promise me you won’t give up on him. Okay?”

Not knowing how to respond, Riku stood with her in silence for a minute or so, pondering her words. Maybe if he tried again . . . Suddenly he realized that she expected an answer from him. In a low, almost whisper, he responded, “I promise.”

“Good.” She seemed satisfied. “I have to go back and make sure he hasn’t fallen asleep. But remember what I told you, Riku. No giving up!” With that as her parting words, Yuffie skipped down the staircase, humming a an unfamiliar song Riku and looking for all the world like the happiest woman alive.

Several long minutes passed as Riku stood where she had left him, musing to himself and plotting about what he would do.  _ No giving up . . . no giving up . . . All right, Yuffie. I’ll try again. _ And when the bell sounded for fifth period, Riku had the beginnings of a small plan formulated in his mind, his familiar devious smirk on his lips once more as he merged with the streams of students that emptied into the hallway.

* * *

“Cloud. Cloud, wake up. You’re gonna miss your next class!”

"Ughhh...five more minutes, please."  Batting away the hand that grabbed at his shoulder, Cloud twisted onto his side, his knees curled into his chest as he settled back into the stiff love seat. He had enjoyed his thirty minutes of sleep, where he didn’t dream of anything and no one interrupted him. Several of the other instructors had visited the staff room briefly, but none stayed long enough to rouse him from his nap. And soon he didn’t even realize they were there.

Undeterred, Yuffie emitted something that sounded like a warning growl, and she jumped atop the sleeping lump, grabbing his shirt to pull him into a sitting position.

“Get up, Cloud! You’re gonna be late!”

The seriousness of her statement sunk in as he stared into her dark eyes, and he promptly threw the young woman off him as he dashed out of the room. The warning bell provided no consolation as he stepped inside the elevator, thankfully lacking any menacing instructors with long silky hair, and pressed the number six. Yuffie tumbled inside just before the doors closed and it wrenched upward, the feeling that Cloud had left his stomach below still present even after using the thing so much.

With about two seconds to spare, Cloud made it inside his classroom, already filled with chattering students who didn’t seem to notice that their instructor hadn’t yet arrived. Appreciative that they calmed down when the bell rang, Cloud stood at the forefront of his class and began his speech for the fifth time that day.

Things went smoothly from there; the majority of his students were well behaved, with the exception of a few talkative girls. Everyone handed in an essay, and though it caused an inexplicable happiness in Cloud, this fact also brought the agonizing thought of  _ I’ll have to grade these later. Every. Single. One of them.  _ It was almost depressing, but at the same time he felt excited to find out where his students were in terms of their writing abilities. And it would have to take his mind off a certain silver-haired junior if he brought home a stack of essays as tall as himself. Definitely.

Maybe.

Probably not.

For the weekend, Cloud instructed his students to read anything for as long or as little as they wanted. It was an honor-system type of assignment, where the students could do it if they wanted or not, and Cloud would never know. He hoped they would, of course–he couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to read.

With the final words, “I’ll see you Monday!” the bell rang, and his students emptied into the hallway at a leisurely pace, their voices raising as they joined the mass of bodies intent on getting to class. Watching them go, Cloud almost forgot why he wasn’t looking forward to sixth period.

Surprisingly, the person to remind him was not the boy himself but Eiko Carol, who strolled into the room as soon as the others left and found her usual seat in the front row. Immediately she withdrew her bright pink laptop from her bag and rested it in her lap while flipping open the screen. A delicate hand swept strands of violet from her eyes as she began typing.

Cloud watched her intently as a few others trickled in, forming circles in the middle of the room or seeking out places to sit and talk. She never once glanced up from the screen, her eyebrows drawn together in concentration as her fingers sped over the keys. After a minute or so of typing, she halted, read over the words, and hit the backspace key. Once she was satisfied, she began the process again. The fervor in her eyes incited a rather sick feeling in Cloud’s stomach, though he couldn’t figure out why.

The feeling doubled as Riku entered the room, flashed his charming smile at Cloud and took a seat in the front row as well, though opposite of Miss Carol. Soon the stragglers quickly filled in the empty spaces, and the bell rang once again.

“All right everyone,” he began, speaking over a few people who hadn’t noticed the bell, “get out your essays.” At the command, every student in the room dug into their bags in search of the printed papers, the sounds of their things shuffling around filling the air. “I’ll give you one last chance to check over them, but don’t get used to it. All right? Five minutes. Go.”

Counting mentally to himself, he watched with a barely concealed smile as many pairs of eyes scanned over their work, very few students taking out pens to correct an overlooked mistake. Cloud wouldn’t count points off for it this time, of course. But he would have to teach these people how to proofread before the end of the semester.

His job wasn’t  _ secure _ just yet. The first semester acted as a trial period to see if Cloud was fit for the position. The headmaster kept a special eye on him, visited him often, sent him extra e-mails in the morning. If he made one simple mistake, it could (and probably would, considering the headmaster’s personality) cost him his job.

Which was one of the major reasons why those wandering aquamarine eyes were so dangerous to begin with. Catching the act, Cloud frowned at Riku pointedly to convey his message.  _ Don’t. _ Riku returned to his essay.

Once certain that the five minutes had passed, Cloud cleared his throat. “Okay, please pass your essays to Miss Carol in the first row. I’ll try and have them graded over the weekend but, well. We’ll see. Anyway, since I’ve mentioned the weekend, I have something else I want you to do.” His eyes immediately sought out the whiny boy in the back who tended to complain without restraint. Their eyes met briefly, and the boy never opened his mouth. 

Once Eiko grasped every paper in her hands, he stepped forward to collect them. She offered a sweet smile for him that only served to make him feel ill. Something about that girl gave him chills, perhaps because he had seen her tackle Riku down the stairs just yesterday.

_ Yeah, that’s probably why. _

Taking care to not waver too long in front of her, he accepted the thick stack of papers and deposited them on his desk. Over the past two weeks, he had covered its gleaming surface with various objects such as teacher-aide manuals and student behavioral books, texts the headmaster had suggested he read. Most of them bored him to the point of falling asleep, but if the headmaster told him to read them, he would try.

After taking care to make sure the pages didn’t topple over, he returned to his class. “Over the weekend, I want you to read. Simple, right? If you want, you can take hall passes and visit the library to find a book. Just two at a time though.” He paused, getting the distinct feel of eyes watching his every movement. Not just anyone’s eyes, either. “Any volunteers?”

A couple girls raised their hands, and Cloud handed both of them a small card labeled “HALL PASS.” He had heard from others that the actual hall pass system was a little more hi-tech and complicated, but that the headmaster handed out the plastic cards for the new instructors. He was thankful for now to have one less complicated procedure to remember.

Taking the passes, the girls smiled shyly up at him before leaving the room.

After watching them go, Cloud turned to the class to begin discussing the day’s lesson, making good use of his projector–the thing was rather convenient for displaying notes as Cloud’s handwriting was atrocious. He continued speaking as the students typed, unable to keep from glancing at Riku every so often when the kid sat so close to him. During the class, the plastic passes switched from the first two girls to another two, and Cloud always watched them go as a distraction from observant eyes. Every time he chanced a look in Riku’s direction, he was openly staring back.

_ I guess he hasn’t given up, then. _

When he had finished his speech, he began to wonder what had happened to Yuffie since he left the staff room. She hadn’t followed after him once he left the elevator, and she hadn’t returned to the classroom at all, not even during the five-minute break. It worried him a bit, thinking about Yuffie loose in the school.  _ Because she has to still be here . . . she wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye. _

The longer he stood talking, the longer the minutes became, dragging into twice their length, three times, or longer. The overhead sunlight warmed the room along with heat vents visible in the walls, and Cloud wanted to remove his jacket. But he refrained with Riku watching his every move.

The last couple students returned from the library, handing Cloud their passes as they went to sit down, and before Cloud could ask if anyone else needed to use them, the bell rang. 

“Have a nice weekend,” he called to his students, the words lacking his usual cheerful tone. Turning his back on the crowd shuffling into the hall, he began gathering his things to take home for the weekend. Just as he shut off the projector, he heard a voice from behind and froze, heart pounding fiercely against its cage.

“Cloud.”

It wasn’t the headmaster and it wasn’t Yuffie and  _ Why, why couldn’t it be Yuffie? Or even my mother would do. Anyone, anyone but  _ “Riku.”

Cloud didn’t want to turn around and see the junior’s resplendent blue-green eyes, his silky silver hair or fair skin, didn’t want to see what emotion that might be conveyed in those eyes or on his lips–he didn’t want to, but he did. Time seemed to slow to a halt, the sounds of voices and slamming lockers and footsteps so far away that they might be from another world. Replacing the noise was the sound of heated blood flow rushing through his veins. Riku’s eyes said everything and nothing at all.

_ I don’t care what it takes. _

_ I want you. _

_ I want to be  with you. _

_ Give me a chance. _

Cloud glanced toward the open door, noticing how it stood ajar and hid them from view of the hallway from where they stood. “There are huge risks for both of us. Not just me. You could be expelled.”

Cloud stood almost pressed against the wall covered in the smooth surface of white used to display notes, and Riku’s body was inches away, their eyes locked together, their breaths short and strained. The words hung between them, thick, truthful, and Riku nodded in acknowledgment of that truth.

“I don’t care. Do you?”

Now it was Cloud’s turn to think, for his mind to visit all those places he hadn’t allowed it to go for fear of losing himself and getting caught and bringing an end to the life he knew and loved. Riku might be beautiful, but what about the risks? Did he himself even care?

Cloud breathed, “No. I don’t.” And he stopped thinking.

Passionate, impatient hands quested for bare skin, and Cloud's fingers delved beneath the loose cotton of the standard uniform button-down as lips sought his and tongues met, teeth clashed, Riku shoving hard against Cloud as tension was released, while the world around them flickered, sparked, and died.

Breathing came in ragged, uneven gasps every few seconds when mouths parted, and Riku’s fingers tangled in his hair, pulling, scraping over his neck, and he breathed a sultry groan into an open mouth. Riku's hips pushed forward for friction, and though Cloud struggled to pull back from them for fear of losing his mind completely, he had nowhere to go. And that euphoric, ardent chord erupted in Riku’s throat, and too soon the exchange ended. Cloud gripped Riku's shoulders and shoved him back an inch, regaining himself enough to state between long gasps, “We have . . . all weekend.”

Grinning in his fiendish way, Riku’s breath mingled with his as he murmured huskily, “Take me somewhere.”

A single nod. “Come to the instructor’s parking lot tonight, at midnight. Don’t be late.”

Without replying, Riku quickly returned to his seat, stowing all his things hastily in his bag, and he rushed out of the room with a parting grin for Cloud.

_ Oh . . . God . . . _

Once his breath returned to normal, he stepped away from the wall, gathering his things as well and making to head home. He was never going to get those essays graded this weekend. Not after the plans he had just made. Despite his efforts, a tiny smile tugged at his lips, and he allowed himself, for once, to think freely about Riku.

Adjusting his clothes, Cloud turned and glanced up at the doorway, freezing on the spot as his eyes rested on the last person he wanted to see.

“Mr. Strife, might I have a word with you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger, but at least smut happens next chapter - hope you're ready.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys. Smut ahead.

** **3:35 p.m.** **

****“Mr. Strife, might I have a word with you?”

A thick lump settled in Cloud’s throat, hindering his ability to swallow and breathe as he digested the sight of the headmaster looming in his doorway, arms folded over his chest and a frown written into his face. His foot tapped impatiently as he awaited some form of response from the blond.

Before Cloud opened his mouth to speak, a woefully under-dressed and hyperactive girl stepped out from behind the headmaster, covering her head with both hands and casting her eyes toward the floor as she addressed her friend.

“I’m sorry, Cloud! I didn’t know . . . ”

Sighing, the headmaster cleared his throat. “Mr. Strife, I do believe the handbook clearly states that all visitors must sign into the office before venturing into the school, yes? Surely you must’ve noticed Miss Kisaragi didn’t have an identification tag on her person.”

A dawning realization settled slowly over Cloud’s mind, and his tensed muscles visibly relaxed as the danger of exposure passed. Sending Yuffie a half-hearted glare, Cloud apologized profusely. “I'm so sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.”

“Naturally,” the headmaster replied, turning an about face and leaving the two alone in Cloud’s otherwise empty classroom. To Yuffie, it felt awkwardly quiet as her eyes remained trained to the floor, anticipating the blond’s reprimand that was sure to come.

Instead, he released a long exhale of breath and slumped forward, an alleviated smile twitching at his lips. Adjusting the thick stack of papers in his arms, he mumbled something unintelligible to the trembling brunette.

Once the soft words reached Yuffie’s ears, she knew she hadn’t heard correctly. “Cloud?”

“Thank you.”

Shocked, she lifted her head and lowered her arms to her sides as she drank in his posture and visage, noting that he seemed more at ease than angry. His words sank into her head, and she nodded once in response. “No problem. But um . . . why are you thanking me?”

An unmistakable smile. “I kissed Riku.”

Dark eyes lit up with surprise and warmth as she squealed a high-pitched note in excitement. “Yes! That’s great!” Quickly closing the distance between them, she threw her slender arms around his muscled frame, disregarding the various objects obstructing him from returning the embrace.

“Yuffie . . . ”

Heeding his unspoken command, she relinquished her hold and backed away, studying the slight red tint to his face. Yuffie giggled, placing a hand on her hip as she tilted her head to the side. “Are you blushing?” Cloud turned his head away from her scrutiny, but the color wasn’t masked. “The great Cloud Strife is blushing. I really wish I had a camera—I’m sure Leon would get a kick out of this. We all know he hasn’t smiled since he was five.”

Shaking his head, Cloud sent her a scathing look that dared her to even try, yet it was short-lived. That night’s plans filled his head with imagery of the dark, orange-black sky casting a fervent glow upon the snow-covered woods, the silhouette of Riku approaching, gazing at him with that devious smile Cloud had come to expect from the teen.

Snapping from his daydream, Cloud rejoined the present world and tried to suppress the pleased sensation building somewhere in his abdomen. Yuffie managed to distract him as she chattered happily into his ear and lead him from the room. But as Cloud turned to lock the door behind him, his eyes picked out a small, glossy black object high on the wall inside his classroom, scarcely distinguishable from the wall itself. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to determine the object’s purpose, when his breath caught in his throat at the realization.

A security camera.

And it had been watching the entire time.

Yuffie immediately noticed Cloud’s sudden change in demeanor, her voice stilling as she followed his line of vision and spotted the object that had him so shaken.

“Yuffie?” he asked quietly, knowing she had seen it as well.

Softly, she replied, “Yes?”

Inhaling a deep, calming breath, he steeled himself for what he was about to ask. Although placing his fate into Yuffie’s hands was far from comforting, he didn’t see another, more appealing option. The girl had a certain set of skills that Cloud couldn't deny made her adept at sneaking into and out of places.

“Can you take care of this?”

Yuffie’s lips twisted upward into a smirk. “Leave it to me.”

* * *

**3:48 p.m.**

After sending a mortified Cloud on his way with several assurances of her abilities, Yuffie decided it was time for a change of wardrobe. After all, she would need to impersonate one of the instructors or office workers if she hoped to get anywhere inside the main office downstairs. And she was confident that her low-riding shorts and midriff-baring top didn't fit within the professional dress code of this pretentious private school.

Scanning the hallway for signs of life, Yuffie immediately caught sight of a familiar, menacing figure, stalking down the hallway with a black leather bag over one shoulder and an armful of books. Thankfully he wasn’t en route for the elevator closest to her; his thick leather boot-clad feet carried him in the opposite direction. Watching the wave his elegant silver strands made as he stepped through the metal doors, Yuffie exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding once the instructor was out of sight.

_ Geez, Cloud works in the same building as that guy? Creepy. _

Clearing her head of all other thoughts save her current mission, Yuffie took off at a brisk pace down the hall, seeking out an unsuspecting soul whose clothing she could "borrow."

Luckily for her, the opportunity presented itself once she skipped down a flight of stairs and touched a foot to the fifth floor.

A petite woman about her height stepped out of a classroom, arms loaded down with a pile of work similar to Cloud’s as she fumbled with the key to lock her door. 

Having spent some time now in the school, Yuffie had noted the position of the cameras in the hallways, although she hadn't realized there were others inside the classrooms. Eyes trained to the closest camera on the ceiling, she pressed her back to the wall and sidled under it, slowly approaching her unsuspecting target, who still couldn't seem to get her key into the lock. The woman mumbled to herself in frustration, bending over to sit her stack of papers on the ground. Seeing her chance, Yuffie dashed behind the woman in silence, grabbing her neck and applying just enough pressure to knock the woman out cold. Her body went limp in Yuffie's arms. 

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one had spotted them, Yuffie turned her back toward the door and pushed inward, dragging the woman with her until they were out of sight of the hallway. The camera placement was different in classrooms on the lower floors; in Cloud's room, one was located directly across from the door on the wall, unable to be placed on the ceiling due to the glass windowpanes. On the fifth floor, however, it was on the ceiling just over where the instructor's desk was located, the doorway itself just out of sight.

Yuffie was careful to remain close to the thick mahogany door as she stripped off the woman's suit pants and blazer. She estimated that she had about 30 minutes to get downstairs and back without the woman waking up as she adorned herself in the "uniform" of a teacher, arranging the woman's body so that it would stay out of sight behind the door. After slipping out of the classroom, she locked the classroom behind her with the woman's key, grabbing the stack of papers from the floor before she made her way back toward the stairs. She didn't bother hugging the wall this time, but she still opted to stay away from the elevator to avoid running into anyone who might know the teacher whose clothes she wore.

_Piece of cake_, she thought to herself as she descended the stairs.

* * *

**4:05 p.m.**

With a red pen poised above his first essay of the afternoon, Cloud studied the print with a critical eye as he prepared to grade it. Cerulean orbs skimmed the first paragraph, detecting a spelling error within the second line, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him as he settled into the task. After the events of the day, he thought his mind might be too distracted to accomplish any work. 

However, three or four minutes later, Cloud read the same line six times as his thoughts drifted toward Yuffie and her demanding mission. It had taken him five minutes to reach his dorm and ten minutes to settle in, and in his mind she should’ve been back by now with some news of how things had gone.

Somewhere in the background, a wall clock ticked off the seconds in the dead silence of his dorm, successfully distracting him from any more grading.

Cloud sighed.

Steeling his resolve, he attempted to tune out the sound of his time slipping away while returning to the paper on his desk. His foot tapped once or twice, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his sleeve while his other hand used the back of the pen to scratch his forehead. It should’ve been a simple task, checking over a student’s essay and administering a few corrections here and there. But Cloud’s mind overflowed with worries, worries which all boiled down to Riku, and Riku made everything complicated. The silver-haired teen probably had no idea of how his instructor’s mind threatened to burst with concerns for Yuffie’s mission. His first thoughts on it still rang true; it was hardly consoling to place his impending doom in the immature young woman’s hands, but fate had left him with no other options.

_ I guess this is the price you pay for trying to date a _ student.

Holding back another sigh, Cloud forced his mind to focus on the task at hand.

* * *

**4:47 p.m.**

_ “Come to the instructor’s parking lot tonight, at midnight.” _

Safe inside the confines of his dorm, Riku swallowed hard, body pressed flat against the door as he recalled the heated moment that had passed all too quickly between himself and his current object of desire. A hand grasped loosely at the strap around his torso, somewhat restricting and yet comforting in that it gave him a piece of reality to hold onto. Because the event his mind replayed over and over couldn’t have happened. What Cloud said couldn’t have been _ real _.

_ “Don’t be late.” _

But it was.

Riku’s feet grappled against the slick wooden floor, and eventually he lost the fight, sliding down the wooden door until he slumped against it on the ground. His backpack was definitely more in the way than anything now, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as his heart thundered against his rib cage. A lightheadedness invaded his already straying mind, his eyelids slipping shut while the sensation washed over him.

No matter how he remembered the event, twisted the words, considered their surroundings, he couldn’t deny the facts. Cloud had kissed him. Or he had kissed Cloud. Or they had kissed each other. It all added up to a delicious meshing of lips and that satisfaction he’d sought after from the first day he watched the blond’s shapely ass walk away. 

He couldn’t thank Yuffie enough.

Without the slender girl’s encouragement, Riku might’ve given up on his conquest completely and wallowed in his own self pity until the next best thing came along. Although if he ever got what he truly wanted from Cloud, Riku knew there would never be a “next best thing.” He wouldn’t settle for anything less than the original, the one and only. Instructor Strife.

After collecting himself for several minutes, Riku braced his hands against the door and struggled to his feet, tossing the light messenger bag from his shoulder and onto his bed. He couldn’t decide if he were grateful or disappointed that his other instructors hadn’t assigned any weekend homework. On the plus side, he had no obligations and could spend the night with Cloud guilt-free. Conversely, he now had nothing to keep his mind busy while he waited for midnight to come. 

Sora and Kairi had made plans to study for an upcoming quiz, which Riku knew would involve little studying and therefore gently refused their offer to join them. Despite recent events, he was still in no mood to watch two of his best friends deprive each other of oxygen. Also tied up at the moment were Axel and Roxas, who probably had mounds of disciplinary homework on top of Saturday school to look forward to.

Sighing softly, Riku glanced at the half-full book shelf across the room and scanned it for a book he could reread when a cheerful tone announced that he had received a text message.

Fishing his cell phone out of his pocket, he flipped it open and read:

**I need hlp**

**Com 2 front of schl bldg asap**

**Yuffie**

Blinking a few times, Riku eyed the text suspiciously, wondering how the hell Yuffie had gotten his phone number but disregarding that detail as the half-constructed words sank in.

What had she gotten herself into?

He slid the phone into his back pocket as he hastily unlocked his door, listening for thud of it closing behind him as he sprinted the length of the hallway and both flights of stairs. Outside, light snowflakes fluttered in the wind, tangling in his hair as he continued onward in the direction of the school.

_Hold on, Yuffie._ _I’m coming._

* * *

**5 p.m.**

After successfully completing Operation: Save Cloud’s Ass (as she had so affectionately deemed it) Yuffie found herself in a delicate situation.

The mission itself hadn’t been too difficult; she infiltrated the office with ease and located the video surveillance room, which had been unoccupied at the time and made her job that much easier. A moment of indecision had passed, where she was unsure which screen in particular monitored Cloud’s classroom, but it turned out not to matter. There were cameras, but they weren’t recording anything, simply displaying images for the current guard to watch. It seemed this guard had packed up early and left, considering extracurricular activities weren't held on Friday and detention was nonexistent in favor of other methods of punishment. If Cloud had already left the building without trouble, then there was nothing to be concerned about to begin with. 

Disregarding her earlier care and precision, Yuffie had used the elevator to return to the fifth floor classroom, striding down the empty hallway toward the teacher's door. After she had the woman fully clothed again and was straightening her own outfit, however, she'd been startled by the woman's groggy voice as she woke up.

"Where...where am I?"

Yuffie froze in place, bent over at the waist with her fingers tucked inside the lip of one boot after she'd pulled it back on. Her mind raced as the woman blinked sleep out of her eyes and glanced around the room before locating Yuffie not three feet away.

"Who are you?"

In a panic, Yuffie blurted out the first thing she could think of. "I'm uh...the school nurse!"

"The school nurse?" the teacher asked suspiciously, the remnant of sleep leaving her voice.

"Y-yeah. You uh, you passed out. So I came to take a look at you."

The woman's eyes widened in shock. "I did?!"

"Yeah." Yuffie stood up straight, growing more confident with herself as she realized the woman was buying her story. "But I think you're fine. Probably just need to eat something."

"I see," the teacher said, averting her gaze. "I did skip breakfast and lunch today..."

_You skipped breakfast AND lunch?! _"Oh my, that's definitely not good for you! Make sure to eat regular meals from now on, okay?"

"Of course," the woman said with a nod. "Sorry to trouble you."

"No worries at all!" Yuffie waved her hands a little too quickly. "Don't even mention it. But I uh, I gotta get going. Are you good to stand?"

The woman accepted Yuffie's outstretched hand and was pulled to her feet, seeming steady enough. "Looks like it. Thanks again."

"Just doing my job!" With a smile, Yuffie slipped out of the classroom, walking as fast as she could toward the elevator before the teacher could think of anything else to say.

All else had went smoothly. . . until this creature wandered out of the bushes and caught sight of her.

She couldn't decide if it was a wolf or a dog, but it didn't look friendly either way. Didn’t these things usually stay away from human-populated areas? Her mind remained painfully blank as her heart pounded like gunshots in her ears, some base instinct urging her to run away and another insisting she not move. As cautiously as possible, she had retrieved her cell phone and sent Riku a text message, because Cloud was about as hopeless with animals as she was.

The beast’s eyes watched her intently, its lips drawing back just enough to reveal stark white and deadly sharp teeth. It growled in a threatening tone, its ears flat against its head and its tail stuck out straight behind it, as if pointing directly at her.

Yuffie swallowed hard.

Thankfully Riku didn’t take his time, though when he arrived his lips twisted into a cruel smirk at Yuffie’s predicament.

“Uh . . . Yuffie?” He chuckled lowly at the older girl. “What did you do to it?”

“Nothing!” she hissed, “I was just leaving when it came out of nowhere! Make it go away!”

The animal’s sharp eyes never left Yuffie, even though Riku edged a little closer to get a better glimpse of it while he devised a plan. A tense silence passed, where the desperate girl’s eyes danced from beast to teenage boy as she waited for Riku’s brilliant plan to unfold.

Once an idea formed, he slowly crouched to the ground and removed one of his uniform dress shoes. It slid off easily, and Riku pulled himself to his feet with the object in hand.

“When I say go, run this way,” he murmured, indicating the direction he wanted her to go. She raised an eyebrow but nodded once in affirmation, and Riku raised his hand, aiming carefully. “Ready . . . ” With a harsh throw, Riku hurled his glossy black shoe behind the beast, whose eyes watched the object fly through the air. When the shoe thudded behind it in the snow, its growl became a snarl as it ran toward the shoe.

“Go!” Riku shouted, grabbing Yuffie’s arm and sprinting through the snow away from the growling beast. With a glance over his shoulder, Riku saw the creature ripping his shoe to shreds, apparently forgetting about the two humans.

Their feet carried them over the ground at a fast pace, the teen dragging his female counterpart along to make sure she didn’t fall behind. After he felt they were safe, they slowed to a jog as they rounded a corner, then stopped to catch their breath. Riku couldn’t suppress his laughter now, hunching over and coughing from the lack of oxygen to his lungs. The older girl cast him a biting glare as he laughed, her arms akimbo and one hip jutted to the side.

“I don’t see how this is funny. I could’ve been killed!”

“But you weren’t. What I did kill was twenty minutes that I would’ve spent in my dorm being bored.”

“I still fail to find the humor in my near-death experience. You’re so mean, Riku.”

Straightening to his full height, Riku sighed. “So I’ve been told.”

A comfortable quietness passed, where Yuffie relented and cracked a smile.

“Yeah, well . . . I heard about you and Cloud. Did you take my advice, or did Cloudy-boy step up for once?”

The silver-haired teen sighed. “Both, kind of.”

With a warm smile, she clapped a hand to his back adoringly. “Glad to see your love life’s working out. Now if only I could get the other cold-hearted bastard to open a bit . . . ”

Riku raised a single silver eyebrow. “There’s more than one?”

“Yeah, Squall. He and Cloud have been best friends all their lives, and they have a lot in common. Generally they don’t say much and stick to themselves, brooding or whatever they call it.” She paused, laughing to herself at distant memories. “Cloud’s a whole different person up here, though. You’re lucky you met him like this, or else you’d still be convincing him to look your way.”

Both exchanged a smile, Riku trying to convey without words that he should get back to his dorm and Yuffie should be on her way. She took the hint easily enough, though stepping away with reluctance. 

“It was nice meeting you, Riku. Take care of yourself”

“Yeah,” he replied, “you too."

With a short goodbye, they parted ways.

_ Maybe I’ll see you again sometime, Ri-ku. _

* * *

**9:18 p.m.**

Sometime around his thirtieth graded essay, Cloud glanced at the still-ticking clock on the wall, his eyes a bit dazed from reading size twelve Times New Roman font for the past five hours. To his relief, he had gotten through most of the wait by keeping his mind busy, his veteran red pen clasped between two fingers and still ready for battle. Although the ungraded stack still towered over the graded stack, he was making progress.

To drown out the clock’s incessant ticking, he had dug a small radio out of his closet and set it atop his desk, fumbling with the dial until he found a station that came in clearly. The songs were older and oddly familiar, as if he’d known them all his life, yet the words escaped him. In a moment like this, he could almost say grading his students’ work was enjoyable. 

With only three hours left, he plunged back into his work while humming along to an offbeat song that he was certain Yuffie used to love.

* * *

**11:32 p.m.**

Aquamarine eyes glaring at the time with longing, Riku wondered if he could manage to wait for the next half hour outside in the current weather. He could take a slow walk, trace lines in the new layers of snow to keep himself warm. Anything appealed more to him than remaining in the same spot he’d occupied for the past two hours, his phone resting on his thigh as his restless eyes watched the time pass. Clicking the home button on his phone as soon as it went dark didn't help the minutes move more quickly, Riku knew, but his eyes had no where else to rest at the moment.

Axel and Roxas had visited him hours ago, delivering half of their disciplinary homework which they concluded that he deserved it, since it was his ass they’d been saving. Although the silver-haired teen doubted that his lust-stricken friends didn’t enjoy the exhibition, he accepted the mindless busy work without complaint. With nothing better to do at the time, he had easily completed it, the pile of papers now stacked atop his night stand.

_ Maybe I should leave. _

In a moment of indecision, Riku stood up and propped himself against the wall next to his door, sweeping lengthy strands of silver from his eyes. His watch ticked, seconds slipping by, his mind unable to process that he was about to meet Cloud, that Cloud was taking him somewhere, that his patience had paid off.

_ I can't wait in here any longer. _

Unlike the last time he'd left his room that day, his legs worked slowly, aquamarine orbs drinking in the surroundings as if he’d never seen the hallway before. Although he wouldn’t admit it, his fingers trembled with anticipation, brushing against the wood paneling, grasping at the stair railing as his feet carried him to the bottom. He knew, once he left, that he wouldn’t be back until morning or later; a nighttime watch locked the dormitory doors from the outside after ten. They didn’t take inventory of which students were in their dorms–it would take hours. The policy about spending the night in another dorm was lenient: You could do it, if you didn’t get caught.

And of course Cloud could leave his dorm whenever he pleased, as he wasn’t a student.

A deep orange glow illuminated the world Riku stepped into as the door swung shut behind him. Blinking a few times, he glanced upward at the sky, remembering the last time he’d snuck out of his dorm at the end of his sophomore year. Oddly enough, it had also been to meet someone on campus, but she wasn’t a teacher; he had been a senior last year, and he was helping him study for his end-of-semester exams.

Although Zack's intention had been to help him study, he'd also helped him accept himself for who he was, convincing Riku that he wasn’t abnormal because he didn’t like girls. Zack had also helped him break the news to his best friends, who accepted him freely unlike he thought they would. Though he had been foolish to doubt Sora and Kairi in the first place.

Sparing a glance in the direction Zack's dorm had lied, Riku set off on a different path, his heart beating erratically in his chest. With the light snow that had begun falling that afternoon, he knew by morning his tracks would be hidden. A hint of a grin tugged the corners of his lips, his head bowed against a chilly breeze and his fingers digging into the pockets of loose-fitting blue jeans. He hadn’t remembered to grab a scarf, but he hoped it wouldn’t matter. There was no turning back now.

The instructor’s parking lot lied at the opposite end of the school building, bathed in a soft glow from overhead streetlights. A decaying wooden park bench caught Riku’s eye beneath one such light, several names and initials engraved into its deteriorated planks and presenting the perfect place for Riku to wait.

Once his back met the cold surface, a shiver wracked his body, and he pulled his hood over his face to shield himself from the wind. His cold fingers clutched at the fur-trimmed hood, twisting the strands together as nervous energy flooded his body. The gentle breeze from had turned biting and unforgiving, stinging his face and the bits of skin revealed around his neck. Clenching his teeth, he curled in on himself.

“You should’ve worn a scarf.”

Startled, Riku twisted around in his seat to catch a glimpse of a spiky-haired shadow limned against the brick wall of the main building, and eventually he absorbed the sight of the shadow’s owner. A soft smile graced elegant pink lips as the blond slipped his own red scarf off his body, moving closer to Riku with intent. Riku closed his eyes as Cloud draped the thick wool scarf over his shoulders, tucking the tail end under his throat.

A long minute passed where one stared at the other, frozen in both senses, until the younger of the two stood and closed the gap between them. A steady hand wrapped around Riku's lower back, and he fell into place against a lithe torso, fingers grasping at his instructor's chest while insistent lips met for the second time. Cloud's other hand buried itself in Riku's silky hair and pressed the teen into him as if he couldn't get close enough, until a subdued moan escaped his throat. The two broke away from each other, gulping air in pants and gasps as their eyes locked.

Cloud observed him for a minute, as if trying to read his mind, before he leaned close again. Pliant lips trailed along his jaw, igniting fire within him once they reached the silky column of his neck. His body shook with a forceful chill, though not from the cold.

“Cloud,” Riku breathed as his instructor found a sensitive spot under his jaw, nipping at it with his teeth. The hand at his lower back inched downward toward his ass, drawing Riku's hips closer as he continued to bite and kiss at his neck.

After a beat, Cloud lifted his head to meet dazed blue-green eyes, smiling in a way Riku had never seen before. A nearly inaudible, husky whisper filled Riku’s ear. “Follow me.”

The teen obliged without protest, letting Cloud entwine their fingers and lead him across the nearly empty parking lot. At the center, Riku caught sight of a dark sedan, several years old and hardly extravagant, but just the type of thing the blond would drive. 

Cloud gestured to the passenger side, the doors unlocking with a click. Together, they slid into their respective seats, a sense of anticipation and, Riku admitted with a smirk, lust building between them like friction. The car hummed with life soon enough, and Riku directed his gaze out of the passenger side window as the snow, the trees, and the buildings all rushed past in a blur of white and black. 

When Riku managed to speak, he began, “Where—”

“You’ll see,” the older man countered, casting a glance at the teen by his side and effectively silencing him. 

Instead, Riku listened to the soft hum of the car, breathed in a hint of what he knew to be Cloud’s particular scent, watched the darkened sky through gaps in tall pine trees as they traveled the twists and turns down the mountainside. His instructor definitely had his curiosity peaked the farther away from school they ventured, and he felt surprised when Cloud pulled into a lengthy driveway near the base of the mountain. 

Wide eyes digested the surroundings, a gorgeous white mansion looming ahead of them at the end of the driveway, even bigger than the place that Riku called him back in town. Through the darkness, Riku appreciated the fine-tuned details of intricate designs and moldings carved into the outside of the house, which looked to be about three floors tall and partially obscured by a thick clump of trees. A large garage stood proudly to the left of the main building, its doors closed, but Riku could only wonder what expensive vehicles sat inside it.

“This is home,” Cloud explained as the car pulled to a stop at the end of the driveway. “Well, it was, before I moved out.”

Riku’s own parents were definitely above middle-class, but this was ridiculous. If Cloud’s parents owned a mansion, why the hell did he rent a shitty instructor dorm?

“Wait, you live on campus when you have this?” he questioned in incredulity, gesturing to the oversized home with both hands.

Sighing, the blonde nodded once. “My parents and I don’t get along. I’d even go so far as to say that my father and I are in permanent hate with each other. When I was eighteen, I couldn’t move out fast enough.”

A slender eyebrow quirked upward in question. “But you’re here now.”

“Because they’re on vacation in Costa del Sol, and I know the security code to the front door.” Cloud smirked darkly. “I thought you wouldn’t mind.”

_ I don’t mind at all. _The teen found he couldn’t form words. There were so many things about Cloud that didn’t make sense. 

Without another word, the two left the instructor’s car and walked in silence toward the elegant home's front door, Riku’s eyes darting in every direction to drink in every detail. Cloud punched six digits into a keypad on the door, which clicked twice before Cloud twisted the handle and pushed it open. Before the silver-haired teen could register the noise, a firm hand placed on his lower back guided him inside, directing him toward a spiral staircase. He didn’t hear the door close, didn’t have time to study the vast room behind him as his feet carried him up and Cloud trailed closely behind.

A sultry voice whispered in his ear as they walked, pointing out various rooms and their functions as they continued down a hallway. Guest bedrooms, bathrooms, entertainment rooms . . . Riku lost track of which was which as guiding fingers stretched across his back, slipping beneath his coat and t-shirt to trace patterns on his skin. A shiver wracked his body as hot breath cascaded over his neck, the words failing to register as Riku’s senses became overwhelmed.

Once they reached Cloud’s room, the older man pushed the door open and gestured inside with a smile. Riku wandered inside, observing the decor and the posters on the wall as he started pondering what type of teenager Cloud had been.

After that, he didn’t think coherent thoughts for sometime.

Teasing fingertips abandoned their playful drawing on his back and groped at his hips, an insistent mouth pressing to his as a demanding tongue slipped between his lips. Riku was vaguely aware of thighs pressed flat against his body, silently instructing him to move backward in the dark bedroom. Without a signal from his brain, his feet carried him in the direction Cloud pushed, making desperate attempts in the dance for dominance while his fists clenched at Cloud's coat and wished the thick fabric didn't exist. He felt overwhelmed, lost, blissfully unconscious of anything but that wet muscle tasting him with fervor, deft hands unraveling the scarf from his neck. He couldn’t pinpoint when his coat and shirt were stripped, when the feel of bare skin against skin became apparent, when guiding hands lowered him onto a plush mattress, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

A knee pried his legs apart, applying a tormenting pressure to his hardening length and encouraging a soft moan of pleasure to escape parted lips, mingled with the sounds of uneven pants and another article of clothing joining the others on the floor. His mind was beyond comprehension, and it was all he could do to keep his sanity as teeth and tongue and lips expertly went about marking a trail from his jaw to his stomach.

“Ahn . . . !” Riku’s legs parted, allowing the older man room to slide between them as his lips returned to Riku's, biting the lower lip gently before laving it with his tongue. Only their underwear remained as the blond’s hands wandered south, offering a light squeeze to slim thighs before removing the final barrier and tossing it somewhere unseen. 

Aquamarine eyes widened as Cloud’s thick cock brushed against the head of his own, taunting, daring him to move forward. Riku happily took the bait, tossing his head back against the bed as Cloud's hips descended to meet his in a steady grind. Seeking purchase, some piece of reality to grasp as tendrils of pleasure coursed through his veins, the teen’s hands clutched at Cloud’s shoulders, scraping over skin harshly as each wave hit. 

Warm fingers rubbed the slit of his cock, coating themselves in pre-cum before sliding down the hard length, testing the outer ring of muscle to Riku’s entrance before tentatively probing inside with one finger.

Inhaling sharply, the teen’s fingers dug into Cloud’s skin, eyes clenching shut as the intrusion stretched him. “Cloud . . . ”

“You're not a virgin, are you,” the blonde instructor stated, and Riku nodded furiously as a second finger was added.

“Does that matter?” he bit out, forcing his body to relax and accept the scissoring motion Cloud’s fingers made inside him. As much as it felt intrusive, it also felt amazing as the blond's fingers rubbed against the sensitive spot inside him.

Eyes cracking open to see the man’s reaction, he watched Cloud shake his head and give a hint of a soothing smile as a third finger joined the first two. “Somehow, I'm not surprised at all.” Pushing in further, he sought a sensitive bundle of nerves that would make Riku see stars. He watched half-lidded eyes for a sign, suppressing a smirk when Riku bit his lip, groaning lowly as he moved his hips against Cloud’s fingers.

“Fuck that feels good . . . ”

Leaning over the writhing teen, the blond pressed his lips to Riku’s forehead in a chaste, reassuring kiss as he withdrew his fingers. With that as his warning, he carefully guided himself to Riku’s entrance, pushing the head of his cock just inside the outer rim teasingly.

“You're torturing me,” he breathed out when Cloud cast him a devious smile.

Nodding once, the older man plunged inside, and Riku hissed at the overwhelming feeling of the full length filling him to the core. Palms once resting on his parted thighs gently pushed them outward to allow room, tugging Riku’s feet over Cloud's shoulders. 

It wasn’t until the teen’s hips gave a subtle buck that Cloud let go, pushing himself as deep as the little hole allowed. He built a steady rhythm as he thrust in and out, his hard length grazing against Riku's sensitive core. Riku couldn't help the whimpers and cries tumbling out of his mouth as his hands moved to grip Cloud's biceps. The tense muscles felt wonderful in his hands as Cloud pulled out as far as he dared and slammed back inside, grazing the teen’s prostate with measured thrusts, drawing the most delicious moans from parted lips.

Riku forced his eyes to stay open, gazing upward into a sea of blue and enjoying the lust-filled gaze that stared back. Cloud's hands moved to grip Riku's ass and lift him upward for a different angle, and Riku cried out, his fists turning white as they gripped Cloud's body. His back arched upward and Cloud pounded into him even harder.

"Touch yourself," Cloud commanded, panting between thrusts. "I want you to come for me."

Riku obeyed, fisting his own leaking cock with one hand as the intensity of Cloud's thrusts increased, and he could feel his release building quickly. 

“Cloud . . . Nng . . . Cl . . . harder . . . ” Riku begged, jerking himself faster, and Cloud obliged. The older man leaned over Riku and gripped him tighter, pounding his ass with more intensity than Riku thought he could handle. All his once-restrained fantasies of the blond instructor flowed through his mind as he climbed toward the peak of orgasm, and he could tell from the man's breathing that he wouldn't be far behind.

With a sharp cry of Cloud's name, he felt his whole body shuddering as he reached his peak, his cock twitching as he covered both Cloud and himself with his release. He watched as Cloud clenched his eyes shut, soft moans escaping his lips as he met a similar end. Riku loved the feeling of white hot liquid filling him up, his ass gripping Cloud's dick tightly as the last tremors of orgasm settled through his body. 

Gasping for breath, the two collapsed against the bed, disregarding the white mess coating their abdomens and dripping down Riku's thighs. Soft pink lips kissed Riku's forehead, trailing down his nose, ending at a parted mouth and claiming it in a less passionate manner. Limbs entangled, their lips met in a sweet, drawn-out kiss for a long minute until Riku broke away.

“Cloud,” he sighed, intent on speaking further but settling for silence as strong arms engulfed him tightly.

“You’re amazing,” the blond whispered, nuzzling the teen’s forehead with his nose and inhaling the scent of his hair. “So fucking amazing.”

“ . . . Yeah?”

Cloud nodded.

“You can thank Yuffie,” the teen mumbled, yawning as deft fingers entangled in his hair and scratched his head. “She told me not to give up.”

“I should’ve known,” he returned, unable to stifle a small laugh at the thought that the scrawny girl was actually such an annoying person. But part of him had known that all along.

A long silence passed, where Cloud’s fingertips massaged the teen’s scalp, trailing down his neck toward his bare back and threatening to arouse Riku all over again.

“Cloud?”

“Hn?”

“You have to stop doing that, or—”

“Or what?”

Riku grinned darkly. “Ready for more?”

* * *

Monday afternoon found Cloud standing front and center before his last class of the day, his smile a bit too wide for the beginning of the week. None of his students seemed to notice, however, the extra cheer their instructor felt. They didn’t even seem to realize that their essays had yet to be returned. Most of them, admittedly, didn’t work very hard on them anyway, except for Riku.

A violet-haired girl seated in the front row glanced back and forth between the blond and a starry-eyed, silver-haired teen, catching the bizarre looks the two exchanged and the clouded haze that seemed ever present in both blue and aquamarine eyes. Confused and wondering what had changed, she directed a scathing glare in Riku’s direction in silent demand, mouthing the words “What did you do?” with an infuriated gleam to her bright eyes.

In response, the teen offered a small shrug, promptly redirecting his attention to the pacing blond and openly admiring his suit-clad ass.

With a huff of indignation as the bell rang, she shoved her laptop inside her backpack, allowing the other students to exit the classroom ahead of her for the sake of watching the interaction between Mr. Strife and Riku.

As expected, the smug-looking teen approached the blond instructor as soon as he fought his way through the stream of students, holding up his laptop for the older man to see and appearing to question an aspect of his writing. Mr. Strife gestured to the screen and spoke in low tones, maintaining a professional demeanor to the untrained eye. However, she happened to catch wandering eyes roving over the teen’s pale skin, and the fingers at his sides that seemed to twitch with longing.

_ Strange. _

Eiko Carol couldn’t figure out what had changed, but if Nomura had anything to do with it, she would make sure to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks to anyone who read this far. This is the end of DA, but I've got a sequel in the works already to pick up where this story left off.


End file.
